Good Times, Bad Times
by 1Pagan3
Summary: Sequel to Heartbreaker. AU. Dean and Sammy have their own destiny's to carve out, but that shouldn't be too hard since the Winchester's are just the typical everyday family next door.... right?
1. Chapter 1

AN: Sequel to Heartbreaker!!! Disclaimer: I do not own any of Kripke's creations, however if he or the CW would like to share, my address is... jk!!! Will put all Supernatural characters back when done playing... promise!

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Izzy had witnessed the blowout between the two family's and now was in the front yard watching as one family tried hard to console the youngest and most tender of them. Knowing that there was only a minimal amount that she herself could do, she turned and slowly went back into the house to get things prepared. It wasn't her place to heal little Sam's heart, but she was making it her place to take care of the family while they did.

Mary wrapped her arms around both her boys and wept along with her Sammy. She had never thought that this day would come, that she had no words of comfort for her little boy. She knew it wasn't his fault, but at the moment, he would only think them false, and her heart broke a little more at the thought that her baby would think that she would lie to him.

John knew two things, the first: it was too cold for Sammy to be out while he was still recovering, and the second: there was no way he was going to let anyone but Dean hold him. Making the decision and hoping that his back didn't give out, as well that Dean would forgive him, he scooped both boys up in his arms and carried them both into the house where Izzy was already waiting with heated blankets from the fireplace and hot chocolate heating on the stove. Placing the boys on the couch, they managed to get them wrapped up without too much effort.

Dean knew the exact moment that Sammy fell asleep even though he continued to cry as if his little heart had been broken, it didn't make Dean feel any better though. He had hummed to his little brother from the time he found him at the side of the house, and continued even though he knew that consciously he didn't hear it, hopefully Sammy still knew though that he was there. Looking at his parents, he knew they were feeling just as lost as he and Sammy were. The Moore's had always been a part of the family, and it just didn't seem real that they wouldn't be close anymore. Suddenly he felt a shift, not physically, but as if someone was whispering in his head. Smiling, he leaned down close and whispered, "You're starting to get good at that kiddo. Look all you want, it's not going to change that it's not your fault." There was a pause, almost as if Sammy had cocked he head to one side to contemplate that statement, then the whispering was gone.

"Dean," Sam said quietly, still mostly asleep, "why do they have to go?"

Sighing, Dean wasn't exactly sure, but he'd never lie to Sammy; others maybe, but never his little brother. "I don't know why, but I do know that it wasn't because of you. Right Dad?"

Smiling, John got closer to his boys and stroked Sammy's head. "Right. Sammy, there were people in town who had a problem with Jack, it wasn't because of you being bad, or causing problems; that's not you. This was about Jack and what he thought was best for him and his family." He watched as the dark curly head slowly nodded then stilled again. Looking at Dean he silently asked a question.

"Yeah, he's asleep. He'll ponder it for awhile before he wakes up, but Dad, this isn't going to fix him." Dean said while looking at his parents. If they were looking for a sudden solution, they were out of luck; he'd learned that already when it came to Sammy.

"Son, we don't think he's broken. Now, let us know when he wakes up again, then we can figure out how we can help." Mary said with a smile, she knew that they were almost to the beginning with their Sammy, but she was thankful they weren't back to square one; she was out of cookies.

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Caleb was anxious to get to the Winchester's, he had no doubt that things could very well heat up pretty soon and he wanted to make sure they all were more prepared than what they were. Sighing, he felt the apprehension build once again at the thought of teaching Dean what another Guardian, preferably his father, knew.

Reaching for his coffee, he hoped to be at the cottage by nightfall, but that didn't mean that he'd make it the way his eyes weren't cooperating. Then again what did he expect for driving all night after finding out the family was heading back home, he needed some sleep, but he needed to get this done more.

"_Hey Caleb," William said as he tossed a worn bag into the back of his Jeep, "you know it's dangerous a job. I'd feel better if I went with you on this one."_

_Laughing, Caleb shook his head. "Man, come on, it's no more dangerous than where you're heading."_

_William looked at his friend strangely, "I'm babysitting Caleb, how hard can it be?"_

_Caleb laughed, he already knew how difficult the parents were, and the idea of watching over a baby didn't seem all that dangerous; too bad they knew what was so special about little Samuel. "Yeah, alright you got me. Just take care of yourself, I'd hate to have to marry your wife and show her what's she's been missing all this time."_

"_Sure, whatever man, just keep deluding yourself; like she'd take your sorry arse. As far as taking care of myself, I'll have my boy with me, what can go wrong?" _

Caleb remembered that conversation like it was yesterday, and it hurt the same as it always did. It was the last time he saw William alive and had been what started this whole mess to begin with. Then again if he had allowed William to go with him, then it would have left Caroline and Joseph to fend for themselves and possibly suffer the same fate as William. Knowing he was doing the right thing, he pushed his truck faster hoping to stay awake long enough to get there.

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Dean stayed still as much as he could, he knew that Sammy still needed some time to think, and at the moment he was doing that in his sleep. It amazed him how close they were, and he was happy about it. He wondered if it was how Derrick had felt about him, but he doubted he'd ever get the opportunity to ask. Suddenly a thought occurred to him and he wondered if his parents would know.

"Mom?" he called out quietly knowing that she was close.

"Yes Dean, everything ok in there? Has Sammy woke up yet?" she asked, hoping her baby would wake soon, she missed him.

"Not yet, he's still thinking things over. Mom, are we going to get to say bye to Jessica and Mariah?" Dean asked, knowing somehow that he wasn't going to get the answer he was hoping for.

John sighed deeply, knowing that he should have expected the question. "I doubt it son, I'm really sorry. This whole thing came out of left field and I didn't even think about…"

"It's ok Dad, it's not like you knew what was going to happen. I was just hoping that Sammy would have had a chance to say good bye, you know that way he might feel better?" he wasn't sure if what was going through his head was right, but he felt that it might be at least a little of what his little brother needed.

Mary nodded, "I'll call Penny right now. Maybe we can meet somewhere before they leave. Thanks Dean, that's a wonderful idea!"

Feeling that maybe he had done a good thing for his brother, he continued to watch Sammy sleep until Puppy ran towards the door with his tail wagging.

"Caleb's here Dean." Sammy muttered sleepily as he pulled himself up.

Glancing out the window, Dean realized that Sammy was right and made sure that everyone knew that they had company. It didn't take long for them to open the door and usher the hunter in.

"Wow, if I'd known this was the greeting I would have gotten, I would have cut the drive time by half." Caleb joked. Looking around, he saw that little Sam looked as if he had lost his best friend and Dean was in over protective mode. "So, how's things?" he asked, wondering if maybe he had missed something important.

Sam looked intently at Caleb, then at Dean before walking over to the hunter and gently put his brother's hand in the older man's. Quietly watching their reactions, he was satisfied and nodded once before making his way to the loft.

"Uh, Sammy?" Dean asked, wondering what just happened and if there was a way to take it back.

Caleb looked between John and Mary before his attention swung back to Dean. "Actually, there's a reason why I came, and I guess maybe Sam sensed it. Dean, I need to show you and your parents how to protect the house better, but I need to…" Caleb paused and looked at John. "I need to start what your father William would have wanted for you. If it's alright with your parents, I need to start your training as Guardian."

John looked as if someone had sucker punched him, and he wasn't exactly sure why. He knew that Dean had a family before, and he even knew that his parents had been Guardians, so why did it feel like such a surprise that this day was here?

Mary felt a sense of worry about Dean learning something that was obviously so dangerous, but if Caleb could help them protect Sammy then it would be worth it. Dean was struck silent, not sure what he should do.

His Sammy had basically given him to Caleb, but it was his parents he was worried about. Neither one had said anything, and he had to wonder if it was because they thought he loved his other life more. Shaking his head he looked at Caleb and said as honestly as he could. "I remember some things about my Da, but not much. I know that I watched over Sammy when he was a baby, and that it was my Da who kept some very angry people away while my Mom led me and Sammy's parents out of the house. They were upset because he was scared and wouldn't stop crying."

John and Mary were both shocked by what they heard, they had both suspected and even talked to each other about the possibility of Dean remembering, but now to hear that it was true made them both want to cry.

"Yes, from what Caroline told us later, you were very brave and were the only one who was able to keep baby Sam calm. I guess you've always been his Guardian." Caleb said gently as he made his way to the kitchen. Sitting at the table he smiled to John and Mary, "I know that this isn't what you want to hear, but if these two stay together then Dean needs to be prepared; you need to be prepared."

"We understand Caleb, it's just a…" John was suddenly at a loss for words.

Grinning, Caleb nodded his head. "Shock. Yes, I can imagine. I'm only asking permission because of two things. First, I respect you and won't do anything against you, but once you give permission, you can't interfere. Second, I'm not a Guardian, and honestly we have to do this covertly. There are still too many people out there who would love to end the Guardians once and for all. I'll do my best, and I'll try to do well by William's memory, but I might miss a few things and I apologize ahead of time for it."

Mary didn't know what to say, she sat there and looked between Caleb and Dean and wondered what type of training he would need. She was about to ask when Dean suddenly stood up.

"I need to check on Sammy." He said and upon seeing their questioning gazes he shrugged, "He closed himself from me, I think he blames himself for William's death."

They watched Dean walk into the living room and Caleb looked at the remaining Winchester's, "I guess his training has already started."

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Sam had heard Dean talking to everyone and it made him sad to know that he caused Dean not to have a Daddy for so long. He didn't want to go downstairs and face everyone, right now all he wanted to do was sit there and try not to cause trouble anymore.

Sitting on the floor, he wondered how long he could stay there before he started to get cold. Then again, did it really matter? He was sure that Dean was mad at him by now, so in one day he lost all of his friends, and he knew that he was supposed to go back to school soon. Wiping the tears off his cheeks, he wished that he had remembered to bring Puppy with him. Suddenly he paused and a thought occurred to him. 'Puppy will probably not like me either now that he knows how bad I really am.'

"Hey little dude, what are doing here by yourself?" a familiar voice asked next to him.

Looking over Sam wasn't sure what to think. "Hi Derrick, I'm not a good boy, you need to find someone else to talk to."

Smirking, Derrick looked at Sam and smiled. "Not a good boy huh? Man, good thing you told me, 'cause I was about to nominate you for sainthood."

"Not funny." Sam pouted, he didn't like being made fun of, and even he knew that's what Derrick was doing.

"Sam, you are too good for words. Sometimes bad things happen; it doesn't mean you caused them." Derrick said, nudging the smaller boy slightly. "Sam, seriously, if you were really bad, you would have tried to take over the world by now. I haven't seen everything you can do, but I do know what's sitting there, and let me tell you… WOW! So don't put yourself down kiddo, there will be enough people in the world to do it for you."

Quietly thinking about what had been said, Sam didn't hear Dean climb up the ladder. "Hey buddy, how you feeling?" Dean asked as he looked to see where Sammy was sitting. "You know, you'll probably be warmer if you sat on the bed."

Shaking his head, Sam didn't want to see Dean right now. He knew that Derrick was gone, and for some reason he already missed him. "Go away Dean I want to be by myself."

"Nope, sorry little bro, you're stuck with me." Dean said as he sat next to his Sammy in the same spot that Derrick had vacated. "You know, if I didn't know better I'd say you were avoiding me." He said as he watched Sammy bury his head further in his arms. "You know, I'm not going anywhere. In fact, until you and I talk about this, I'm not letting you out of my sight… I'm going to sit here and not let you have a moment's peace… in fact I'm going to sit here while you're here… or maybe you want to take a walk… or maybe when you take your shower, yep you guessed it, I'll be right there… oh! I know, maybe when you go to school and your in class I can get the desk right behind yours and I'll make sure that I tell you everything that comes to mind, and if that doesn't work…"

"STOP IT DEAN! I WANT TO BE BY MYSELF!" Sam yelled letting loose an energy burst and accidentally breaking their lamp. Seeing what he'd done, Sam started crying again wishing he could just disappear. He felt Dean pull him into his lap and it made him cry even more, and when Dean hugged him tighter he started crying so hard he had trouble breathing.

"Sammy, I'm not going anywhere, and neither's Mom and Dad. You're stuck with us, even Izzy and Caleb 'cause we all love you and want to make sure you're ok." Dean said trying hard to get his little brother to look at him. "Hey, William's death wasn't your fault, neither was Caroline's. Jack deciding to move was his decision, not because of something you did. In fact…. Do your thing. Come on, I know you want to even if your scared, just don't overdo it." He saw his Sammy looking at him as if he'd just lost his mind, and maybe he had, but he needed Sammy to know that what he said was the truth. "Come on Sammy, let loose a little and see what happens."

Sam looked at Dean and how excited his big brother was and couldn't tell him 'no'. Feeling himself let go and drift a little he felt a little from both his Mommy and Daddy, then Izzy and Caleb, and finally Dean before he opened his eyes again. "You don't think I'm bad to have around?" he asked softly, still feeling the love and concern that his family had shared.

Shaking his head, Dean looked Sammy straight on and said, "No Sammy, you're not bad to have around at all."

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AN: I hope everyone has enjoyed this first chapter... let me know what you think! 


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Hope you all enjoy!

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Caleb had taken Dean to the pond before the sun had fully risen and presented Dean with his father's sword. It was a solemn moment, and Dean wasn't sure why he felt such pride in accepting the item from Caleb, but he did. Maybe it was because he remembered watching William hold it, hone and polish it, even practice with it. Sighing, he held the sword in his lap and traced the delicate patterns that had been etched on the blade and the hilt.

"William told me that the proudest moment in his life was when his father gave him that sword; that was until you were born. He couldn't wait to give it to you, to pass on his legacy and show you what his father had shown him. Dean, I know that you don't remember much, and that's fine. Just know that you are very lucky to have two sets of parents who love you more than anything, and are just as proud." Caleb said as he watched Dean. He knew there was a whole ritual thing that he was supposed to do, but it was one of those things that was different for each family and only shared between those involved at the time.

"Caleb, what if I mess up, what if I'm not good enough? Sammy could get hurt." Dean said, wishing he knew what to do.

Smiling, Caleb put his hand on Dean's shoulder. "Dean, you've protected Sam this long. You two already have a connection that most Guardian's and their charge's don't have for years. Most of all, you love him more than you love yourself; everyone can see it. There is no way you can fail Dean, none. Now we need to discuss how we're going to do this. I'll have to train you in self defense and weapons, but you're also going to have to learn about the different ways to protect Sam from people and things you cannot see. There's going to be things that I'll be able to show you; and other things that I can tell you, but even I won't dare to do it even in practice. If you have a question, ask, but if it's not time for you to know I won't tell you. Any questions?"

Dean thought a moment, and then nodded. "If this is so I can protect Sammy, why can't he be here when I'm learning?"

"Honestly, because there will be times that he'll try to stop it." Caleb answered. "Dean, when I say I'm going to teach you self defense, I'll try and go easy on you at first, but then it's going to get real. I know it doesn't sound fair, but when those guys come after Sam, they're not going to take into consideration your age and go easy on you."

Nodding, Dean understood, probably more than Caleb realized. Sam was getting good with his talents, and even though using them wore him out, it wouldn't be long until that wasn't the case anymore. He hated to think of Sam hurting Caleb while they were just practicing some moves. Looking at the hunter Dean asked, "Caleb, why a sword?"

"You know, I asked William that very question." Caleb said while laughing.

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Sam knew that Dean and Caleb were at the pond having an important conversation, and he couldn't wait until they got back. He knew that Dean would be spending a lot of time with Caleb for awhile, but that didn't bother him because he knew that it was so Dean could take better care of him later. He also knew that Dean would be going back to school and playing basketball so any time that they had together was going to be short, but he knew that it would make Dean happy, so it was ok with him.

Sneaking a piece of bacon under the table to Puppy he wondered about the reason why Crocell gave the puppy to him in the first place. He wasn't certain, but he often thought that he felt as if Puppy was watching him with more pride than curiosity. Thinking that was funny, he started to giggle until something swept through his mind and he realized that it was Puppy wondering what he was laughing about. Dropping his fork, Sam looked around and saw that his parents were talking to Izzy and didn't seem to think anything was wrong. Looking back at Puppy he thought, 'Can you hear me?' Carefully watching the little ball of fur he was almost disappointed when nothing happened, then Puppy looked over at Sam's family before wagging his tail wildly and a soft whisper floated across his mind. 'Yes!' Leaving Sam shocked a moment before he did the first thing that he could think of. He reached out to his brother begging him to come home.

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Dean waited for an answer and even though it took a moment for Caleb to stop laughing, he was somehow able to wait patiently until finally the hunter calmed himself again.

"William always got upset with me when I would ask him that, so of course I would ask him about it often just to get a rise out of him. He was my best friend and I miss him, but I'm lucky, I get to share him with you. The sword isn't just tradition Dean, it's a true weapon that has hurt and even killed many people. Given some of the battles its been through, its proven itself more than once to be just as useful now as it was when it was given to the first Guardian of your line." Caleb said while watching Dean. The boy reminded him so much of William it was almost scary. 'I hope I don't screw this up William.' He thought, truly worried that somehow he was going to make a mistake that would cost Dean and Sam their lives.

"Caleb, is being a Guardian something that someone is born to do, or is there a choice too. I mean, did he _choose_ to be one after he was told he was one, or was he just made to be one anyway?" Dean asked, trying to understand what his role was supposed to be. Right now he was the big brother of someone very special, and that seemed to keep him busier than he had thought possible.

Caleb thought a moment trying to decide how to answer. He knew that there were those who had decided to walk away from being a Guardian, but they usually became unhappy with the path they had chosen instead. "There is a choice, but you have to understand, going against who you are usually isn't a good thing."

Dean thought a moment and wondered what he was supposed to do. He knew that if he accepted this role then his time with Sammy would be a lot less than it had been, and he was having trouble with hardly seeing him while he was practicing basketball, now he was going to be learning everything William knew and he knew that it was going to be more than a couple of weeks, this could take years. Sighing, he wished in a way that someone else could make the decision for him, while at the same time he knew that he would have hated that someone had taken the decision out of his hands.

Caleb watched Dean think things over. Unlike Dean, he knew that this was part of the process, and one that each Guardian had to go through. William had told him that it was one of the most difficult decisions that he had ever made, mainly because he knew that as soon as he agreed then his life wouldn't be his own; he would be a part of someone else and he wouldn't get to choose who… almost like an arranged marriage with out the perks. Smiling, he couldn't help but remember how William had been horrified that his son would have to go through that part of the ritual. Caleb could only imagine how truly horrified he would have been if he had known that Dean would be going through it at the age of thirteen instead of years later. The youngest Guardian on record had been sixteen, and he had been forced into it when his cousin's life had been threatened repeatedly. Now Dean was about to join the long legacy of the O'Connell's, he had no doubt what the kid's decision would be.

He knew that Caleb was watching him, waiting for his decision. How was he supposed to decide, he was still a kid for Christ's sake, not that he'd admit that to his parents though. He had seen the shocked looks on his parents' faces when he admitted that he remembered bits and pieces of his previous life. He was pretty sure that they wondered if he would love them less now that he remembered more, that wasn't the case of course, but he could understand their fear. Sighing, he looked at Caleb. "If I do this, you will teach me everything I need to know to keep Sammy and my family safe, right? You won't leave anything out?" he asked, truly weighing what he knew about what his family needed now and what they might need later.

Shocked, Caleb looked at Dean for a moment before answering. "Dean, I will teach you everything I can. This isn't something I take lightly, it's not a game. If it wasn't for the fact that you're a Guardian, I'd probably just show your parents the bare minimum to get started and show them where to look for the rest, making sure that you and Sam were safe until they got the hang of it. You _are_ a Guardian, my best friend's son, and I will show and teach you everything I know along with help you figure out the rest of the stuff you're supposed to know."

Nodding, Dean was about to give his answer when he suddenly looked at Caleb in shock. "We have to go; Sammy's freaked about something and needs me."

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John noticed that Sammy had gone very quiet very quickly, and that had him more than a little concerned. They knew that he was healing, but they also didn't know how long it was going to take for their little boy to be as good as new either. For a few minutes it seemed like Sammy was happy and was even feeding the little mutt under the table, not that he was going to let his little boy know that they had been watching him do it since he started. Now though it was as if a switch had been flipped and even though he was quiet, he was acting nervous, as if he was expecting something to happen but just couldn't deal with the anticipation any longer.

When the door was flung open they all watched in shock as Sammy jumped up from the table and ran into Dean's arms where he was then scooped up and taken to loft quickly. Looking at Caleb for answers all the received was a shrug and a worried look in return.

Dean had no idea what was going on, but he knew that whatever it was had Sammy freaked out. He had asked if Sammy wanted to bring Puppy along but the agitated shaking of the head nixed that idea. Not knowing what else to do, he carried his little brother up to the loft and sat on the bed, waiting while Sammy pulled himself together to tell him what was going on.

The more Sam thought about it, the sillier it sounded. He couldn't have heard Puppy's thoughts, he just couldn't have. He had been pretending before and even Dean thought it was funny. What if he didn't think it was funny now, what if Dean thought he was teasing him again? Not sure what else to do, he took a deep breath and finally said, "I heard Puppy's thoughts, and he can hear mine, and I'm not making it up Dean and I don't know what to do and…"

"Whoa… hold on Sammy… what? You can hear Puppy's thoughts? How do you know? Did he ask for a T-bone or something?" Dean teased, certain that Sammy was imagining things.

Shaking his head Sam looked at Dean with wide eyes. "I thought a question and he answered the same way! I asked him if he could hear me, and he said YES!"

Dean looked at Sammy for a minute wondering if his little brother was serious, in any other circumstance he would have brushed it off as an overactive imagination. However, they hadn't had normal circumstances for quite awhile. "Sammy, are you sure? Never mind, I can tell that you're sure… what does he want? He didn't try and hurt you did he?"

"No Dean, he didn't hurt me, he was very happy and wanted to play." Sam said sadly. Now that he thought about it he didn't know why he called his big brother home, there wasn't anything wrong, just their puppy was able to read minds… that's all.

Picking Sammy up again, Dean helped him down the stairs and guided his little brother to his parents. "Sammy, we need help with this one." Dean said before turning to the adults and filling them in on what had happened.

Caleb sat there in shock with the rest of them but finally pulled himself together, after all a telepathic puppy couldn't be all _that_ bad… could it? "Ok Sam, has it said anything else to you, maybe what it wants?" he asked, hoping for some insight on what was going on.

"Oh for Christ's sake Caleb, quit being a horses arse and give the kid a break" Sam said seriously, but when he saw everyone look at him in shock he quickly added, "That's what he said, just now… honest!"

Mulling over what Sam said, Caleb looked between John and Mary and the puppy until finally a light came on and he groaned. "Ah c'mon… _William_?!?"

Everyone look at the little puppy in disbelief as it wagged it tail wildly and gave out tiny bark in agreement.


	3. Chapter 3

The stunned silence finally drained away, leaving the occupants all looking between Sam and the puppy in front of him. It took a few moments before John asked, "Sam, is that who it is?"

Sam wasn't sure why they kept looking at him as if he had all the answers, that's why he had gone to Dean in the first place. Sighing he looked at Dean then at Puppy and finally admitted, "I don't know, he hasn't said."

Shocked, Caleb wondered if maybe he was wrong, maybe all this reminiscing was just making him think of things that just couldn't be possible. That had to be it, except that the little dog kept looking at him as if he was waiting for him to figure something out. Looking over towards the older Winchester's he could tell they were just as confused as he was. Finally he looked back at Sam and asked, "So, do you think you could ask him?"

Although it seemed to be the next logical step, the question earned them all an eye roll not only from Sam and Dean, but from Puppy as well. Finally, Dean put a hand on Sam's shoulder in silent apology and Sam looked at the little bundle of fur. It didn't take long before Puppy was pawing Sam's leg and looking up at him whimpering.

With that little motion, John and Mary suddenly felt apprehensive about their little boy using his abilities to talk to what possibly could be their eldest son's biological father; especially when that very person seemed to be feeling just as worried.

Sam looked at Puppy and with wide eyes asked in his mind, 'Are you Dean's daddy?'

It didn't take long for the answer to come back. 'I am William, yes. I haven't been Dean's Da for a very long time though.'

Sadly Sam looked at his big brother and nodded, then watched as Dean rushed out of the cottage leaving him to feel as if was totally alone again.

Dean wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Before, he had known who he was and his purpose. Now though, he was faced with something that he had never imagined; he had a dad he knew, and a father he remembered only in his dreams. Unfortunately they both were inside with the little brother that he swore he would protect always. Now he wondered if this changed something, he hoped not, but then again he'd been wrong before.

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Sam didn't want to talk to anyone, and he certainly didn't want to be around people at the moment. After watching his big brother walk away from him, he just wanted to be alone for awhile, and he definitely didn't want Puppy around. Without a word, he climbed up to the loft and sat on his bed and listened closely to what was going on around him.

Izzy was upset, but only because she wasn't sure what to do about all of this. Caleb was trying to talk to William, but he was going back and forth between the ladder and the door. His mommy and daddy both were worried, but had no idea what to do. Suddenly Sam worried about something, what if Dean tried to make William himself again, and then went away?

'_That's not going to happen Sam.'_ William's voice lilted in his head.

'Get out! I don't want you here, I want Dean!' he thought hatefully wishing that it was Dean that he could share this with.

'_Sam, if I could have kept this from you longer I would have. There's too much at stake though, that's why Crocell asked me…'_

'Crocell? He knew who you were?' Sam asked, wondering why anyone would agree to be a dog, but remember to be a person too. It confused him just thinking about it.

Sighing, William knew that he was making a mess out this whole situation. Caroline was much better at dealing with people, and keeping him from sticking his foot in his mouth. _'Sam, I'm not here to ruin anything for you, but your grandfather was worried that certain… skills were developing too fast, and you needed some help; help I could provide.'_

'I was fine with Dean! Go away!' Sam thought angrily, hoping that this… dog would get the point. He didn't want anyone but his big brother to help him with things.

'_Sam…'_

'No! You make me upset, and… and I get tired when I'm upset. Go away!' Sam yelled to William in his mind and watched all of the items in the loft float and spin wildly, the only items immune to him was his and Dean's beds. 'Oh, Daddy's going to be mad.' he thought as he tried to calm down, but the only thing that he could think about was how his puppy wasn't a puppy, and how Dean might go away now.

The sound of Puppy barking, and people shouting were muted to him as the buzzing in his head got louder. His thoughts were almost a constant loop of Dean's going to leave and Daddy's going to be mad, that he wasn't aware of the front door being flung open and Dean's footsteps running across the floor. He wasn't aware of anything until he felt Dean's hands touch his face, then his big brother's voice slowly coming into focus before he leaned into Dean and closed his eyes.

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When Puppy had started barking and doing his best to get up the ladder to the loft, at first no one thought too much about it. Then he had got more insistent which had actually made John angry. It had been one thing for them to find out that the dog his son loved so much was actually his other son's father, but now the mutt was carrying on as if he had a say so in what happened in the household. Before he could actually get to the puppy however, the front door crashed open and Dean was running at full speed across the room, over the couch and up the ladder to the loft.

Confused, the adults who witnessed Dean's race made their way towards the loft when they heard first Dean's quiet murmurings, then crashing sounds coming from upstairs. Not bothering to look around, John quickly climbed up the ladder and looked over the edge to see everything that had been up there was now scattered, and in most cases broken in some way. Looking back down to Caleb, John growled, "Take the damn dog out until I find out what happened."

Knowing that things were about to get real dicey real quick, Caleb nodded then looked at Puppy. "Alright William, it's time to go for a little walk." When the puppy whined, Caleb rolled his eyes. "Don't give me that, Dean's with Sam right now so he's fine; and in case you haven't noticed, Dean is Sam's Guardian not you."

Mary watched the exchange between Sammy's puppy and the hunter and she couldn't help but wonder if that was what the whole problem was to begin with. Not wanting to waste anymore time she asked, "William, did you think that you were going to be Sammy's Guardian while you were here?" She knew she sounded like a fool, but she had to at least try and figure out why one of her son's walked out, while the other had the equivalent of a psychic breakdown. Seeing the small dog cock his head she had to wonder about it, then again, maybe she was putting too much thought into it. "Alright, let's figure this out. Crocell gave you to Sammy to help him focus and try to help take the pain of growing into his gifts away. Dean is his little brother's Guardian, and they share a bond stronger than most people can imagine. Now I'm not exactly sure how this is going to end, but I do know that two Guardians in the same space at the same time for the same person isn't a good thing… that would be obvious. So, here's what we need to do. You need to remember that right now… you're a dog, Sammy has a Guardian, and the enemy is out there and not in here. Think you can handle that?" she asked, then looked at Izzy with horror. "Oh my God, I'm loosing my mind! I just talked to a dog!"

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John saw the items littering the floor and he was shocked, he had thought Sammy had gotten better control over his telekinesis. Sighing, he stood and looked at both his boys and waiting.

"He thinks you're going to be mad at him." Dean whispered while rubbing Sammy's back, coaxing the little boy to stay asleep.

Knowing that his little outburst downstairs wouldn't have helped any he nodded before replying. "I get that. I was hoping though that he'd trust me enough to realize that I know that the both of you are under a lot of stress right now. I'm not mad at him; worried, yes." He sighed and sat down next to his boys. "Dean, what do you think about William being here watching over you're little brother?"

Smiling, Dean knew that this was a rare occasion and he wasn't going to mess it up. "He might be my Da, but that's only in my dreams; and they become nightmares pretty quick. Dad, I remember you. You're the one who sat with me when I had the chicken pox, taught me how to slide into home, change the oil in a car, hotwire a car." He laughed knowing that he probably gave a little too much away. "My point is, if I'm upset, it's not about you. You're my Dad, and always will be. William is a memory, and that might hurt him, but I can't help that. He's here to help Sammy not hurt so much, and I can't be made at him for that."

John wondered when his boy got so wise, and then understood quickly that he had picked that up from Mary. Reaching out he ran his hands through Sammy's curls and smiled. "Ok buddy. How about you and I get this room back in shape? First, why don't you get Puppy up here so he can help Sammy, then we can clean up. Deal?"

Nodding, Dean rushed downstairs and picked up the little dog before Caleb opened the door. "Alright, here's the rules. You don't have a say so in our lives, you're here to make sure Sammy doesn't hurt himself doing too much too fast, and you will respect the family. Think you can do that?" he asked and then watched as the puppy seemed to think about it before letting out a very solid and distinctive bark. "Cool, now let's get upstairs, Sammy was tired before, but now he's totally wiped."

Caleb looked between Mary and Izzy before looking up at the loft. He had no idea what just happened, but he had a feeling that it was the beginning of something good.

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AN: Hope you enjoyed... let me know. 


	4. Chapter 4

Hearing movement around him would have normally made Sam nervous, but it didn't take him long to feel that is was his brother and daddy. Since neither one seemed upset, he was ready to go back to sleep until he felt something lick his face, scaring him right off the bed.

Dean was shocked when Sammy fell out of bed, but laughed when he saw Puppy looking over the side at his very puzzled little brother. "Don't worry Sammy, he's supposed to be there watching over you until we got the room back together."

Blearily looking around, Sam saw all the things that were now broken and he suddenly wished he could hide someplace for awhile. Seeing that he wasn't going to get his wish though, he settled for watching his daddy put the dressers back to where they were while Dean swept up the broken pieces of lamps and toys. "I'm sorry Daddy." He whispered, wondering why he couldn't be normal like the other kids in his class.

Picking Sam off the floor, John sat on the bed and held him tight. "Its ok buddy, we know that this wasn't something that you tried on your own, but this is why you're going to have to practice; so when you do get upset this doesn't happen. Ok?" he tried to sound encouraging, but deep down he was terrified; if this had happened at school there would be no way they could keep it a secret.

Nodding, Sam was content to snuggle in his daddy's lap for awhile, he had a feeling that he wouldn't be able to again for awhile.

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Caleb wasn't certain about what to do next, but he was willing to take a shot it wasn't standing there doing nothing. Letting the ladies know he'd be outside for a little while, he quickly scoped out the wooded areas and found a fairly secluded place that he could train Dean and not have to worry about scaring the Winchesters. Afterwards, he starting putting wards in place to help protect the house and the areas he knew that Sam liked to go.

Thinking about Sam reminded him of the night he and the boy jumped out the window with just a frail hope that they wouldn't crash into the ground. It seemed like forever since then, but he was absurdly happy that it had happened; it gave him a glimpse into the boy's heart and what he saw had humbled him. Getting back to work, he finalized the last ward and walked back into the cottage in time to see John climbing down the ladder.

"He'll be fine, just got upset with the whole ex-Guardian now dog thing." John said with a smirk.

Everyone knew that in normal circles what John had just said would have landed him in the loony bin, but that was just how much they had strayed from 'normal'. It didn't take long for everyone to grab a cup of coffee and sit down at the table to discuss what was going to happen next.

"So, I guess that means Sammy stays home schooled." Mary announced, not leaving any question as to what her opinion on the matter would be.

John nodded in agreement and saw that there weren't going to be any arguments. "Now if I could just get the foundation poured that easily." He said, trying to remain calm about the time he'd already lost. His only hope would to be to find someone who needed work really bad and didn't mind sweating for it.

Caleb had wondered what happened to opening the new shop but had been more than a little busy and had allowed it to slip his mind. It took only a few minutes for John to catch him up on the painful details of how his father had gone out of his way to sabotage the permits, and how the rumors about the family were keeping work crews from accepting jobs from him. After mulling over the situation, Caleb finally asked, "So, if you had someone to help you dig the foundation and lay out the plumbing, you'd still be able to get someone out here to pour the concrete, right?"

Looking at Caleb, John wondered what the other man was up to. It wasn't until Caleb told him he'd be ready first thing the next morning that John understood that the hunter was willing to help him out of his jam. "Caleb, you don't have to…"

"Yeah, yeah… just don't think you're getting off cheap. I expect to be fed, and have a bed… and yes, I eat a lot!"

The laughter that floated up to the loft made Dean feel better, now that he knew his parents weren't upset anymore. Covering Sammy up some more, he made sure that Puppy was still able to breathe under the blanket, then he stretched out and made himself comfortable on his little brother's bed. After everything that had happened, no one would care if he stayed extra close to Sammy tonight.

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"Come on Dean, move it!" Caleb yelled as he watched the teen maneuver through the obstacle course he had created in the woods. He was trying to get the kid to realize that they wouldn't always be on a level playing field and he needed to get used to that idea if he was to save his little brother from the unexpected.

They had been out in the cold for an hour already, and they both were ready to head back in, but that would defeat the purpose. There had been times when even William had hated his training, but at the same time was confident that he'd be better prepared for anything that was tossed his way. Now though, Caleb was the one who was going to have to bring his best friend's son into the hunting world and it didn't really set well with him. If it was up to him, he'd make sure that both boys were able to have fun all day and not worry about the evil's that roamed the planet.

After Dean finished the course, he was able to grab a quick drink of water before he was tossed on his back and looking up at a very pissed Caleb. "What do you think you're doing? Never… and I mean NEVER turn you're back on a potential enemy. I don't care if it was Pastor Jim, don't let me catch you doing it again. Got it?" Caleb yelled, then relaxed when he saw that Dean understood his words but not the reasoning behind it. "Dean, there are just too many people out there who will try and worm their way into your lives just to get a crack at your brother. You have to be prepared that the ones you trust the most are the ones you should trust the least."

Dean looked at Caleb and asked, "Even you?"

Smiling, Caleb nodded proud that the kid was catching on. "Even me. You have no idea if I'm really me or someone posing as me, or even worse; what if I decided to switch teams? It's been known to happen. Don't let your guard down Dean, not even for a second."

Looking at the hunter Dean replied, "So that's one of the added benefits of the crazy connection thing with Sammy, right? If I'm not sure about someone, all I have to do is figure out what he's feeling and then I'll know."

Caleb was shocked for a moment. He had known that the kid was smart but the way he was picking up on things made him wonder… "Hey Dean, has someone already gone over this with you?" he asked, wondering who it could have been.

"Sure, my dad. I was having some trouble at school for awhile after I came here. I didn't know anyone and everyone else already had their little groups. It wasn't until a class party that some kids came up to me and started to be real nice. I thought it was pretty cool at first, then I found out they just wanted something and when I wouldn't do it they started getting me in trouble for things I didn't do. Dad told me that just because someone acts like my friend doesn't make him one, and that I needed to learn how to trust my instincts. I learned my lesson, and haven't forgotten it."

Helping Dean up off the ground, Caleb wasn't sure how to respond to that bit of news. Instead he nodded and pushed Dean towards the house, class was over for the day.

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The house was quiet with only occasional quiet murmurings wafting through the rooms. While Sam knew that Caleb and Dean were in the woods, he also knew that Izzy had finally gone to sleep after being up half the night and his parents were drinking coffee talking about what needed to be done during the day. As he sat on his bed listening, he took a deep breath and whispered, "I don't like you anymore, you made my daddy sad and my brother upset."

The small puppy whimpered a little as it continued to lie curled up next to Sam. He had a job to do, and it was obvious that he was already messing it up; this was much easier when he was human.

Sam looked at the small dog and wasn't sure what to do now. He couldn't go to school with other kids, but he didn't want to stay close to this puppy imposter either. Now would be a really good time for either one of his grandparents to stop by, he needed someone to talk to. How was he supposed to practice when the one thing that was supposed to help him made him mad? Suddenly he got an idea.

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John and Mary had been quietly discussing the upcoming day and enjoying the quiet moments they had together. Both were so engrossed in their conversation that neither was aware of their visitor until he was right in front of them.

John stared at the floating puppy with surprise before he looked at Mary and saw the same look of shock on her face. If it hadn't been for the look of terror on the dogs face, they both might have found it amusing. However the sight of the small dog with his tail tucked in between his legs and his eyes wide with fright brought the idea home that William had been an unwilling participant.

"Sam!" John called out and immediately jumped back in surprise when the puppy was dropped onto the table.

"Yes Daddy?" a small voice answered from the loft.

"Mind explaining what Puppy is doing on the table?"

"I was just practicing." Sam called back a little closer than before.

Not impressed with the answer John took the puppy off the table and set him on the floor. "Samuel!"

"Uh oh" Sam muttered as he climbed down from the loft, he knew what that meant; _now_ he was in trouble.

Mary watched as her little boy tentatively came around the corner looking more pitiful that the puppy. She tried to get John's attention, but he was making a point not to look at her. 'Uh huh,' she thought, 'you know what happened.'

Looking at his son, John tried hard not to melt at the sight of Sammy's sad eyes looking up at him underneath all of that hair. "Well?" he asked sternly, hoping that there was a reasonable explanation instead of just meanness.

"Sorry Daddy." Sam said sadly, he could tell that he disappointed his daddy and that was worse than anything. "Sorry Puppy."

"Hey, what's going on?" Dean asked as he and Caleb walked through the door. By the looks of his little brother someone must have kicked his dog.

"Your brother levitated the puppy from the loft into the kitchen." Mary said calmly waiting for Dean's reaction.

Dean thought a moment then answered with a noncommittal "Huh" before looking at the puppy in question. "So, he's alright then, and Sammy's ok?" he asked then smiled at his little brother. "Cool little dude! You did it from memory, right?"

Sam nodded, he was happy that Dean wasn't mad, but also knowing that he was still going to get in trouble.

"Dean, that's beside the point. We don't terrorize animals in this house." John said gruffly, trying to find a way to make his point clear.

Smiling, Dean nodded, "Well, technically Puppy isn't an animal, and he is here to help Sammy get a grip on his powers. So, Sammy did something pretty awesome in my book."

The room got quiet and even Puppy looked at him strangely. Finally the silence was too much and Sam spoke. "I was made at Puppy so I made him go away."

Dean knew what he had been mad about and wasn't about to let him get trouble for it. "Yeah, I know, but it's cool this time. Now you know that you just need to stick to inanimate things, right?" he asked, hoping that Sammy would get the point.

Sam nodded, not wanting to look at anything at the moment. Finally John told him to go to his room for awhile, and then turned to Dean.

"Dad, try and see it from his point of view. First he finds a puppy and he can't get enough of him, only to find out it's not really a lost puppy at all but someone that was brought back to help him become who he's supposed to be; not exactly normal. Then he finds out that one of his best friends is moving which means he has no real friends; not exactly helpful. On top of that we all find out that the puppy sent to help is actually my father, who for whatever reason still thinks he's a Guardian making my role in Sammy's life a little shaky; so not helping the situation." He paused for a moment; it was way too early in the freakin' morning for this. "If anyone has the right for an occasional outburst, I'd say it would be him, it's not like he sent William into another dimension or something; he just wanted to make a point. First we tell him not to practice, then we tell him that he needs to, and now what… we telling him _how_ he gets to? Come on Dad, he's eight, cut him some slack; he's got enough to worry about with hunters, demons and who knows who else out there trying to get their hands on him." Having said what he wanted, he turned to go to the loft then paused and looked back at Puppy. "Well, you coming or what fur ball?"

John and Mary stood there in shock for a moment before they looked at each and asked, "He could do that?"

"Actually, yeah he probably could. I don't recommend it, though." Caleb said quietly. He had observed the scene and had to say that Dean had a better handle on this whole Guardian thing than he thought. "You know, I need to talk to you about Dean and his training. John, do you think we can discuss it while we're digging that hole today?"

Whatever he had expected, John wasn't expecting that. He was starting to see just how special Sammy was and he was starting to question his own ability to be a good father to him. Looking at Caleb he nodded then gave Mary a kiss and walked out the door.


	5. Chapter 5

AN: I tried to give them a normal day... honest I did, but you see... yeah, you'll see, hope you enjoy!!!

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John stood out in the early morning and tried to calm his thoughts. It was one thing to be corrected by his wife, God knew he was used to that, but to be shown the error of his ways by his son; it was all too bizarre. He knew that Dean had valid points; in fact it was scary at how astute he had been. Now though he wondered how he was supposed to be the father he now realized his youngest needed.

Looking across the property towards the proposed shop site he wondered if it was really in his family's best interest to carry on with his idea of opening the shop so close to home. Turning back to the cottage he weighed his options, they had enough money to build the shop there, or rent a space someplace else. He knew that the money wasn't really the issue; it was more an issue of being a contributor. The problem was a contributor of what?

Standing outside in the chilly air he knew that he didn't well idle, in fact he sucked at it, almost as bad as he sucked at being what Sammy needed in a father. How's he supposed to be two different people when all he wanted was to be able to enjoy being his sons' dad?

"You know, you've always thought way too hard about everything." Mary said as she walked outside to him.

"What did I do Mary? Did you see how confused Sammy was? If it hadn't been for Dean I would have punished our boy for having a natural reaction. I mean it wasn't as if he'd actually hurt the damn dog, or set fire to the house, he was showing his frustration while doing something so completely Sammy. What the hell am I going to do the next time that he decides to levitate the kitchen table, or starts laughing because of something funny he accidentally hears in someone's head. Damn it Mary, what am I going to do when we have proof right in front of us that I'm not the right person for the job."

Mary stood there and watched as her husband paced back and forth during his rant and she patiently waited for a moment. Seeing her opportunity, she told him exactly what she thought. "Well that's a crock of crap! You have been exactly what he's needed and it's obvious that he's what you've needed for a long time." When he turned and looked at her in shock, she shook her head. "I love you John, never doubt that, but you have the ego the size of Mt. Everest at times, and what you're feeling right now… that's humility. You want to know the cure for it? Get over it! Our little boy is upstairs right now trying to be brave and not show everyone how upset he really is at the thought of you not being his daddy anymore. Yes John, he thinks we're going to get rid of him all because you're out here and not in there getting ready for today."

Confused, he could only look at his wife before he asked, "What's today?"

Laughing, she wondered if he was really that dense or if today was just a special occasion. "Today is the day that the two of you are digging the foundation, or have you forgotten that this is you and his project?"

Feeling as if he'd just had someone knock him upside the head he understood exactly why he married her, she definitely was the brains of their outfit. "Mary, what would I do without you?" he asked as he ran into the house. "Sammy! Hey buddy, you're still helping me with the shop, right?"

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Sam was sure he was in trouble; there was no way that he wasn't. He had done something bad by getting mad at Puppy and making him go into the kitchen away from him. Now though he wanted to be able to spend time with his Mommy and Daddy, but he didn't want to see their disappointed faces. Dean had been talking to him about how no one was mad, but he didn't quite believe it.

Sighing, he sat on the floor by the ladder in the loft, he wanted to see his Daddy, but not have anyone mad at him anymore. He was startled when he felt something wet and cold brushed up against his arm. Looking over he saw Puppy trying to curl up next to him. Feeling really awful about what he did, Sam picked up his tiny companion and put him in his lap. "I'm sorry Puppy; I didn't mean to scare you."

"Hey kiddo, don't sweat it, I'm sure William understands, don't you boy?" Dean said quietly as he watched his little brother continue to beat himself up over the earlier incident. He smiled when the small puppy gave a bark in agreement and wagged his tail enthusiastically. "Show off."

Although he appreciated what his brother and Puppy were trying to do, he still felt awful. What if they didn't like him anymore, what if they wanted him to go away? He didn't know what he would do if that was the case. He just wanted to be with his family, if he wasn't so different he wouldn't have to worry about going away. Petting Puppy, Sam started to stare out the stained glass window hoping that he could find a way to make everything better.

Dean watched as Sammy sunk deeper into a funk and he wasn't sure what to do about it. He could feel the turmoil in his little brother which made things worse, but there wasn't anything he could really do about it at the moment. He knew that Sammy had gone someplace within himself to sort things out, and he wanted to respect that.

The front door opened suddenly and they heard their dad shout out, "Sammy! Hey buddy, you're still helping me with the shop, right?" which caused a chain reaction that would make Dean laugh every time he remembered it.

Sam suddenly jumped up, dropping his little furry bundle onto the floor as he shouted back, "Yeah Daddy! I'll be right there!"

If it wasn't for Dean's quick reflexes Sam would have fallen out of the loft as excited as he was to get downstairs. "Careful little brother, no one's going anywhere without you."

Looking over at Dean, Sam smiled widely, "Thanks Dean, you're the greatest!" As Dean helped him down the ladder, he suddenly stopped and looked up. "Puppy!" he called out, hoping that he could tuck him into his shirt until he got to the bottom. It wasn't until he heard his Daddy that he knew everything was alright again.

"Come on kiddo, help the mutt down like you did before, you can do it."

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John stood there and watched Dean help Sammy down the ladder. Ever since getting out of the hospital, his youngest hadn't been as steady on his feet as he usually was, giving everyone momentary scares when he'd seem to trip over nothing or list to one side if tired. The doctor had mentioned that it would take a little while for their Sammy to be back to normal, but it really didn't help their nervousness when the boy would decide to do things for himself; like climb a ladder.

Sammy had paused and looked up toward the loft as if he was trying to figure out what to do, and at first John had no idea what was running through his boy's head, until he saw the little fur ball looking over the edge tail wagging. Suddenly he understood the predicament his youngest was in. Knowing that the solution was right in front of him, he wanted to make sure that Sammy didn't doubt himself.

"Come on kiddo, help the mutt down like you did before, you can do it." He said, knowing that he indeed could do it, and should. What good would the power of telekinesis be if he couldn't even help his puppy down from the loft?

Seeing the questioning look on Sammy's face, he nodded up to his youngest then smiled as the little puppy was softly airborne and floating down to the safety of the floor. Everyone smiled at the excitement they felt from the smallest Winchester and wondered what would be next on the boy's agenda. None of them were prepared for what happened though.

Standing there watching his boys climb down from the loft; John was ready to back up and give them plenty of room. Now he was glad he hadn't. Before he had any idea of what was happening, he had his arms full of a smiling Sammy.

"I love you Daddy!" Sam said, giving his Daddy a hug.

Suddenly John understood. Sammy didn't need someone special to be his dad; he needed someone to accept how special _he_ is. Smiling, he hugged Sammy back and enjoyed the feeling of having his little boy say those words to him.

"I love you too Sammy, I love you too!"

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Dean was back at school and with an extended day due to practice, Izzy was helping around the house trying to keep Mary from worrying about her guys too much, all the while Caleb, John and Sammy were outside working.

"Mary, don't worry so much. They'll get it done in time." Izzy said as she watched the younger woman pace around the kitchen.

Pausing for a moment, she knew she looked insane, but she couldn't help how she felt. Things were starting to go smoothly and that's when horrible things usually happened. Looking over she watched the other woman drink her tea and smiled. "Izzy, Sammy is still recovering, John is getting worried again, and I can't help but wonder if we can really trust Caleb. I mean, to train Dean in secret just seems too weird for me."

Nodding, Izzy understood Mary's unease since it was usual in secret when bad things happened, however she was confident that Caleb only had Dean and Sam's best interest at heart. Looking at the clock, she knew that the men would be in soon for some lunch. The older men might have tried to work throughout the day, but there was no way they were going to allow little Sam to do without something to eat until supper.

When the door opened, neither women were prepared for the sight that greeted them. All three figures were covered from head to toe in thick layers of dirt, and Sammy kept looking down at his shoes. When Mary looked at John for an answer, what she heard confused her even more and made her wonder what her boys had been up to.

"Uh, Sammy here overdid it a little."


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Hey everyone, sorry this is so short... let me know what you think...

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Caleb couldn't help but be amused even as he was shoveling mounds of chilled earth out of the marked boundary. Sam had insisted that he had helped his daddy before and he was going to do it again and had taken to moving the dirt they shoveled to a place further from the foundation. At first both he and John were worried about the boy overdoing things, but they had made it throughout the day without incident and they were actually making some progress until the clouds started to roll in and John worried that they'd fall behind if it rained. That's when little Sam started getting upset about not being able to get everything done in time and looked at the ground as if it had done something extremely offensive. Before either men knew what to think, they both felt a vibration beneath their feet and the only thing that Caleb could describe it was a mud volcano in a very concentrated area, soaking all three of them and making a certain little boy very close to tears. It would have been hilarious if it hadn't been for a neighbor who happened to drive by and stop suddenly when the dirt explosion happened. It had taken assurances from both him and John that everything was fine and that there wasn't any need to call an ambulance or the fire department.

Now he watched as the ladies listened to what happened and Sam continued to look down at his shoes.

"Oh Sammy…" Mary said as she looked at the forlorn look on her little boy's face. "Come on baby; let's get you in the bath."

John watched as Mary led his son towards the bathroom with Puppy following closely. When he saw the door close behind them, he looked at the other man. "God Caleb, what are we going to do now?"

"Well I'd suggest you both dry off as much as possible then grab a cup of coffee to warm up." Izzy said gently while holding out a couple of towels. "Now how about telling me how you three are drenched as well as layered in dirt."

Smiling at the older woman, Caleb couldn't help but admire her even more. "Apparently there was actually an underground spring that someone failed to mention. So when Sam had his little outburst, apparently he caused the water to blow upwards and get us covered in dirt and mud."

"It took us awhile to convince Sammy that he wasn't in trouble for letting lose, although his timing could have definitely been better." John said with a small smile. "Although it was Caleb's comment that really pulled the little guy out of his funk." He said then noticed Izzy's questioning gaze. "He told Sammy that next time he should try to make it the exact shape that we're digging; Sammy got a little ticked about that."

Laughing, Caleb agreed. "Yeah, he looked at me, put his little fits on his hips and stared at me all the while saying 'Caleb, you know I didn't do it on purpose or I would have.'"

Izzy stood there trying to understand what she heard. "Oh my, it looks like you got little Sam's dander up didn't you?"

Mary stepped out of the bathroom and looked at the small group. "Sammy's starting to get cleaned up, but I think it's going to take awhile… I couldn't get Puppy out of the tub and their both covered in bubbles." Looking between the two men she asked, "So, which one of you wants to explain to me exactly what happened to make my little boy look more like Pigpen and the grown men in the house look like wayward little boys?"

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Dean wasn't exactly sure what had just happened, but he knew that it was big; he could practically feel Sammy vibrating. Knowing that he wouldn't be home for another couple of hours, he convinced his coach to let him use the phone and he waiting nervously for someone to answer. When he heard the phone get picked up, he didn't even wait to figure out who it was before he blurted out what he was concerned about.

"What's wrong with Sammy?" he frantically asked, and felt a sense of panic when there was a long pause before he heard his Mom on the other end.

"Dean? What's wrong honey?" she asked, not fully understanding what had her oldest boy calling when he should actually be at basketball practice.

Frustration building he let out a small growl before he explained, "Mom, I know that something happened, but I can't tell what. So, what's wrong with Sammy?"

"Well Dean, I'm not sure exactly. I know that your brother was helping your Dad, but then he had a power surge I guess. He's fine though, in fact he and Puppy are in the tub at the moment trying to get the mud off."

'Mud?' Dean wondered, not understanding how a 'power surge' can involve mud. Sensing that things weren't as happy as they thought he asked, "Hey Mom, can you come get me please?"

Mary wasn't sure what it was about Dean's request that made chills run up and down her back, buy something told her that this wasn't an idle request. Nodding, even though she knew he couldn't see her, she answered quickly, "Yes Dean, I'll be right there."

Knowing that his Mom would be there soon, he quickly changed back into his clothes and explained to Coach Sanders that he had to go home. By the time he did that and made it outside, he heard the familiar sound of the Impala and he gratefully jumped into the passenger seat. Looking over he smiled before speaking, "Thanks Mom, I appreciate it; is Sammy ok?"

Although she had known why Dean had wanted to skip out on practice for the day, hearing the question still threw her for a moment. "He was still in the tub when I left, he wanted to try and soak some of the gunk out of his hair."

Dean wasn't going to ask any more questions since he'd be able to hear it first hand from his little brother anyway. Sitting there quietly, Dean wasn't surprised to see the property come into view, what surprised him was the fact that there was a big hole where the shop site was supposed to be; and even he knew they wouldn't have gotten that far in one day. 'Ah Sammy, what'd you do kiddo?'

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Sam knew that what happened wasn't funny, it wasn't him playing ball with Puppy, or making something float in the air; this was big and it was bad. Now as he sat in the quickly cooling water with Puppy sitting outside the tub trying to shake off the suds, he wondered what his big brother was going to think when he found out.

"What if Dean gets mad Puppy? Its one thing to do small things when know on else knows, but I did a big thing and Mr. Foster saw it." Sam said sadly wondering how he was going to make it right. He was startled out of his thoughts when Puppy licked his nose and whimpered slightly. It wasn't until the small dog started to lick his face that Sam realized he was crying.

"Hey, who started this party without me?" Dean asked as he walked into the bathroom. He hadn't even stopped to get the story from his dad before he rushed in to see if his little brother was alright. He figured he could get the story out of Sammy just as well as anyone else.

"Hey Dean, what are you doing home so early?" he asked, suspecting that he already knew the answer. "You found out about what happened didn't you?"

Dean knew that he was going to have to handle this carefully, otherwise Sammy would get more upset and who knew what would happen next. "Nope, have no idea what's going on, but I did see the hole in yard filling up with water. What happened Sammy?"

Not wanting to make his brother mad, but also not wanting to lie to him, Sam sighed before answering. "I got mad. We did a lot today, but Daddy thought it was going to rain and we wouldn't get done it time, and I got mad." Not expecting an answer, Sam continued to sit in the tub and stare at the dwindling bubbles. "Mr. Foster drove by and saw. I'm sorry Dean."

The last few words were barely audible and Dean knew that Sammy was already beating himself up. What really concerned him was the power that had to have been behind what had happened, and Sammy didn't seem to be any worse for wear. "Sammy, I'm going to be right back, ok? I'm not mad, but I need to check on something."

Leaving his brother in the tub, he rushed back into the living room where the others were and he interrupted without apologizing. "Caleb, something's not right. I need to know exactly how Sammy was acting today."

At first everyone thought that Dean was overreacting, but the look he gave made them wonder what was on his mind. Caleb explained what had happened and how Sammy reacted, not knowing what was going through Deans mind. They all watched as Dean thought about what was said, then he nodded and walked outside and shocked everyone.

"CROCELL! SAMMY NEEDS YOU!!!" Dean yelled into the late afternoon, then immediately sat down and waited.


	7. Chapter 7

AN: Hey everyone... sorry for the wait, a little family drama at home and I lose track of everything else. Hope you enjoy... don't forget to let me know!

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John didn't like the idea of his son summoning some demon, even if it was Sammy's grandfather. Sighing, he walked outside to join Dean while he waited, hoping that this wasn't a mistake. By the time the wind started to pick up and the smell of sulfur hung in the air, Caleb and Mary had joined them too.

"Dean, I wasn't expecting a call from you." Crocell said casually as he looked among the adults of the group. "You mentioned Samuel needing me, anything in particular or were you going for a general type of reference."

Suddenly feeling as if he was overreacting, he hesitated under the scrutinous gaze of those piercing blue eyes, and then jumped in with both feet. By the time Dean had finished explaining what Sammy had told him, and what he had felt himself, he was having more than just second thoughts about summoning Crocell for advice.

Looking at Dean, Crocell knew that the boy was telling the truth, and that didn't bode well for his grandson. Sensing the residual energy, he turned towards the worksite and knew instantly what happened. Turning back to the others he calmly stated, "A Reader tapped into Samuel and has caused this." Seeing that Caleb understood he asked pointedly, "I take it you know what to do to ensure this does not occur again?"

Feeling as if he had just been hit in the gut, Caleb nodded; he definitely knew what he needed to do. If he had done his job right the first time, it wouldn't have happened at all. "Yes, I'll make sure all property boundaries are protected."

"See that you do, they want to prove that he needs 'special care', and will do whatever it takes to get him in their grasp."

Mary gasped in shock, she had really thought that those people would give up and leave them alone, but then again that would be too much to ask. Leaving the small group, she rushed back in to make sure her little boy was alright, and found a surprising sight waiting for her.

Izzy had a dripping wet Sammy bundled in a large towel while Puppy sat on the floor attempting to lick the little boy dry. It would have been an enduring sight if it wasn't for the tears streaming down her baby's face. When he finally looked up her heart broke when he whimpered, "My head hurts Mommy."

Rushing across the room, Mary scooped Sammy up into her arms while yelling for John to come quick. By the time she had the boy laid down on the couch, the room filled once again with the others and they all grew worried by the strain they saw in his face. Something was happening, and it wasn't good.

Caleb wasn't certain if Crocell would be able to join them without the removal of some of the protection, but the other man looked at him amused. "I am older than time, what you do for others has no hold on me." Nodding, Caleb accepted the answer and allowed the man to walk in ahead of him.

John was worried, if his little boy was still being affected by someone he wanted to know who and how to stop it. The only thing he could do at the moment however was watch as Sammy suffered through what looked to be a killer of a headache. Looking over he asked, "Crocell, is there anything you can do?"

Nodding, Crocell walked to the couch but before he touched Sammy warned, "You will have to redo all protections, remove the old ones fully and replace them. I suggest you strengthen them with blessed paint." When he finished speaking to Caleb, he turned his attention towards Sammy and placed his hand on the boy's head. The reaction was instantaneous, a flash of energy burst through the house leaving a feeling of utter coldness behind. However, after the burst dissipated, Sammy fell into a peaceful sleep. Looking at the others, Crocell smiled, "That will get the message across, and give you time to finish your work."

Both Izzy and Caleb nodded before turning to discuss who would paint the sigils, while the other would prepare the wards. Dean watched them for a moment before he turned his attention towards his little brother again. "It wasn't him I felt was it?" he asked, worried that maybe his instincts failed when they were needed the most.

"Yes and no. The one who latched onto Samuel used him to amplify their own power. You felt the aftershock so to speak. I have sent them a reminder that he is off limits."

Puzzled, Mary asked, "Who would do this to him, and how do we stop them?"

"It's not that easy Mary, Samuel is special to a lot of people in a lot of different ways. As long as people either fear or crave power, he will be a target. He is happy here, so have no fear that I will take him someplace… safer." Crocell told her, although devoid of emotion, she got the distinct impression that he truly cared about what Sammy wanted.

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The normally noisy compound was eerily quiet due to what had happened to one of the Readers. When news spread, it filled some with worry and others with determination; their goal had to be fulfilled, or they would all die in the attempt. In the small courtyard, a small group of men and women met to discuss the occurrence and what possibly to do next.

"Has she spoken of what happened?" a young woman in light robes asked, concerned not only for her friend, but for them as well.

"Only that her connection had been severed abruptly with an additional backlash caused by something evil."

An older man in darker colors spoke up, instantly expressing his discontent with the situation. "While she was at it, did Amelia explain why she had forced a link upon the child? According to our own rules of conduct, only the council is allowed to decree it be done, then and only then will a _council member_ be allowed to do it. There are reasons why this was put in place, the safety of others being just one of them."

"Silas, you must understand, Amelia…"

"Amelia did what she wanted for herself, not for the good of the whole. If she survives this, she will never be the same again, she will be no use to us." The older man Silas said with a tinge of anger in his voice. He looked to another young woman and demanded, "So are we to assume that the boy has been claimed by the darkness, in which case we dispatch the child. Or do we assume that this was just a lesson for us to learn, in which case we continue to wear down the boy's defenses and find a way into his care giver's confidences?"

The group was in deep thought, it wasn't that they hadn't killed those that they couldn't utilize, but a small child was hardly ever even considered. However, this small child could very well be an enormous threat to not only them, but to all mankind as well. As they stood there, each not wanting to be the one to condemn the boy to death, they compared what they knew to be true against their Council's protocol. Eventually the decision was made that more time would be given to convert the child, in hopes of one day utilizing him for the greater good, but with the understanding that if no progress was made soon, the child would be considered forfeit and action would be allowed appropriately. The Seers would be notified to watch for any signs, and the Readers would convene to try and track the boy's progress. They all knew the clock was now ticking, and at the moment it was their side that had the most to lose.

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Dean watched his little brother sleep on the couch since no one had the heart to move him. Caleb had already worked with Izzy to use blessed supplies to remake the sigils and wards to keep not only the house but also the whole property safe. John had taken his shower and set up a chair close to his boys to wait and see what would happen next. Puppy lay next to the couch next to Dean's feet while continuing to watch the boy sleeping. Mary stood by her husband and watched their boys as one stayed on guard watching the younger.

Caleb walking back into the house and nodded to the others as he put the rest of the supplies away. "The whole property should be protected now. Crocell wasn't much help, but then again I have a feeling it was penance for screwing up so badly the first time."

Not exactly sure what to say about that, John continued to watch Caleb as he took off his coat and then laughed when the other man suddenly realized something very important.

"Ah man… it's going to take me a week to get all the mud off me." Caleb practically whined while looking at the dried, caked mud that had already stiffened his clothes and made his skin feel tight. 'At least I don't have to worry about it in my hair.' He thought while trying hard not leave too much of a mess in his wake.

"Don't worry Caleb; I hear that mud baths are the best thing for aging skin." Dean piped up, smiling when he saw the man stiffen slightly before muttering to himself as he slipped into the bathroom.

Izzy laughed while at the same time shook her finger at Dean. "That wasn't nice young man, telling poor Caleb that he is getting old."

"Me? I have no idea what you're talking about Izzy, really. Would I do something like that?" he asked, trying to sound as innocent as his little brother.

"Uh huh, you did Dean, you called Caleb old." Sammy said quietly before he opened his eyes and looked around.

John and Mary rushed to the couch where they were rewarded with a big smile from their little boy. "Hey Sammy, how are you doing buddy?" John asked, hoping that the headache was gone.

Sam thought for a minute before nodding, "Better Daddy, the mean lady is gone." Feeling tired again, he closed his eyes unaware of the disturbance that his words had caused.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: hey everyone... hope you like this chapter... don't forget to let me know!

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The house was quiet with the boys asleep in their beds, Izzy retired in the guest room for the evening, and the Winchester's having already called it a night themselves. Caleb wasn't certain what was keeping him awake, the couch was comfortable enough, and he didn't hear anything out of the ordinary, but something was disturbing him and it was driving him nuts trying to figure it out. His mind floated back to what Sam had said earlier about 'the mean lady' and he wondered if possibly the boy had actually seen the person who had tried to bond themselves to him. From what he understood, the only ones allowed to do something like that was an Elder of the Council, and he somehow doubted that one of the Elder's had instigated the link.

As he watched the fire crackle in the fireplace he was struck by the oddity of the situation. Here was a young boy, completely innocent even after all the horrendous things that he'd been through, and there were people out there willing to murder him just in case he grew up to be evil. Meanwhile the very same people turn a blind eye to the real evils of the world insisting it's not their place to interfere. Caleb shook his head in bemusement; he'd never understand the human psyche.

The feeling of a small hand on his arm made Caleb jump up from his chair before he realized it was actually Sam, feeling foolish for his action he quickly smiled and tried to reassure the boy while he sat back down. "Hey Sam, sorry about that, I was in my own little world. What are you doing up, kiddo?"

Sam watched Caleb sadly, he knew that he'd scared the man, but didn't realize how much until he got a good look at him. "Sorry Caleb, I'll go back to bed."

Seeing the dejection in little Sam's eyes Caleb felt horrible and mentally kicked himself for his actions. "Sam, please don't go, you didn't do anything wrong. Sit down and tell me what's going on with you."

Pausing for only a moment, Sam looked at Caleb with wide eyes before admitting, "I'm scared Caleb. What if the mean lady comes back, or one of her friends? What if they hurt Mommy or Daddy or even Dean and Izzy? This is all my fault."

"No way munchkin, this is not your fault at all. Look, you and I both know that there are different types of evil out there, right?" he asked, and then waited while Sam thought about it and nodded. "Ok, you are not one of those types; you're not evil at all. Sam, you deserve to have a happy life, and I'm going to do my best to make sure that those people who keep trying to get their hands on you don't succeed, ok?"

Thinking about Caleb said, Sam looked around before smiling. "I like my house, don't you… it's perfect! But you know what I really love?" he asked and looked at the hunter intently. "My whole family and you're like my uncle, so I love you too!"

Caleb sat there stunned for a moment before Sam gave him a hug and scampered back up the ladder towards his bed. When the boy was out of sight Caleb allowed a tear to fall, "I love you too Sammy." He whispered into the quiet night, knowing that he'd do whatever was needed to protect him and his family.

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Dean woke to the knowledge that he wasn't alone, and that worried him. Not that he thought something bad had happened, just that Sammy hadn't been crawling in his bed for awhile now and he worried that his little brother had had a nightmare without waking him up. Opening his eyes he looked down and saw that, yes it was in fact Sammy curled up next to him and no nothing looked out of place. In fact it looked as if his brother was sleeping extremely peaceful.

"Sammy…" he whispered, hoping to wake his brother softly. "Sammy." He tried again, but still not even a slight movement. "SAMMY!" he said harshly in the younger boy's ear, making him bolt upright, causing both of their heads to collide.

"Owwwww, Deeeaaan" Sam whined. He was having a really nice dream and then suddenly his head was hitting something… hard.

"Sorry Sammy, you wouldn't wake up. You ok?" Dean asked while checking out his brother's forehead. He felt bad for startling him like that, but he needed answers. "Whatcha doing in my bed anyway kiddo?"

Sam paused a moment trying to remember climbing in Dean's bed, but couldn't. He remembered talking to Caleb and then going back to bed, that was it. He couldn't even remember if Puppy was in bed with him. Suddenly scared, he turned to Dean with tear filled eyes. "I don't know Dean… I don't remember."

Pulling Sammy up into his lap, Dean wiped the tears from his brother's face and smiled. "That's ok; it just means you were really tired, ok? Nothing to worry about." He said as he ran his hand through the brown curls, all the while looking at the other bed and wondering why Puppy hadn't fussed when Sammy had moved.

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John and Mary knew that something was on Dean's mind, but they couldn't pinpoint just what it was. They had both watched their son walk out the back door with Caleb knowing that part of today's training was about the protection sigils that were now guarding their home. That didn't help them with another problem they seemed to have, a certain other little boy who hadn't even said 'Good Morning' to them, and was instead watching his cereal as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Hey Sammy, how would you like to help me figure out a new spot for the shop?" John asked, hoping to get his little boy to come out of his shell. When the only response he got back though was a solemn shaking of the head, John knew something was really wrong. "Hey Buddy, what's wrong?" he asked, hoping that Sammy would volunteer what was on his mind.

Sam looked up and tried to smile, "Nothing Daddy, just thinking."

Mary wasn't sure what made her want to give her little boy a hug at that moment, but something told her it was needed. Sitting next to Sammy, she pulled him to her and held him close; trying to convey how much he was well and truly loved. Suddenly she was shocked when he asked a question that neither she nor John knew how to answer.

"Mommy, will I ever be able to go to school again?"

There was a few moments of complete silence at the older Winchester's pondered that for a moment. Neither one knew what it would take for their little boy to be able to leave the protection of their home, but they also didn't want him to feel like a prisoner or even hidden away. They were definitely feeling the strain of walking the fine line of being protective and being maniacal about it. Sighing, Mary looked at her husband and hoped he had some words of wisdom because she wasn't certain what they should do.

"Sammy, you know that if it was safe for you, you'd be back in school right now, right?" John asked, hoping that he wouldn't scare Sammy even more with the direction the conversation was going. Seeing the nod coming from the dark head, he continued. "I'll be honest with you son, I'm just now catching up to the fact that there are people out there who can hurt you without being near you; so can I ask a favor? Can I ask that you have patience with your Mother and me while we figure out the best way to keep you safe?"

Big dark eyes turned and looked at John in awe. "You're not mad at me?" Sam asked, wondering how he could have messed up so badly but no one minding. Seeing and sensing the question that hung in the air he spoke again. "I messed up Daddy, someone saw what I did and now everyone will know!"

Suddenly remembering that they had a witness to the unfortunate event of yesterday, John quickly got out of his chair and picked Sammy up into his arms. "Listen to me very carefully Sammy. Even if the whole world found out how special you really are, I would never be mad at you for it. What happened wasn't your fault, and even if it was… we now have a cool new pond that will be next to the shop – right?" Smiling, he saw the tension leave the little boy and wondered just how long Sammy had been wondering about that. Looking over, he saw that Mary was wondering the same thing.

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Dean and Caleb had gone around the perimeter of the property and Dean had intently listened to the hunter explain each sigil and why it was placed where it was. They had made it to the new 'pond' before Dean spoke.

"Sammy crawled into bed with me last night; he hasn't done it in awhile." He paused for a moment before admitting. "It sort of freaked me out."

Caleb had known something was bothering the teen but had waited to hear about it from him on his own terms. Now that it was out in the open he wondered what else was rattling around in the kid's brain. "You worried that you missed something?" he asked, watching Dean closely, hoping to be able to give the boy a solution to ease his pain.

Nodding, Dean wasn't sure exactly how to explain it, something just felt off. "I don't understand it Caleb, I didn't even realize Sammy was next to me until I wok up, and Puppy didn't make a sound even after I did… he was still asleep on Sammy's bed. What's going on?" he asked, truly confused that he had slept through something as important as that.

"Dean, I think that William is starting to realize his true place within the family now; he's here to help Sam with his abilities, not to interfere when it comes to the more mundane aspects of life. As far as your brother and you, have you thought that maybe it's as simple as you already knew he was there and what he needed, that's why you didn't wake up. Just because he wanted to be next to you doesn't mean something happened, it just means that he needed you close."

Dean thought about what was said and had to agree that it was more plausible than the whirlwind thoughts that had been occupying his brain since his woke. Looking at the hunter he smiled, "You're right, Sammy was just being Sammy. Makes me wonder how many nights he really wanted to snuggle but thought I'd tease him about being a girl."

Caleb laughed and wondered at the boy in front of him, he was already molding into a find Guardian and if it continued then there would be no one who would be able to get close to Sam without big brother knowing about it. "Come on, let's get back. I have a feeling that your mom already has breakfast on the table for us."

"Yeah, I need to check on Sammy anyways, he's been bouncing around on my radar for awhile." Dean said, trying to make a joke out the connection he and his little brother shared, but suddenly realized that it was actually a close assessment of what he had in regards to his little brother. 'Huh, Samdar… cool!' he thought, trying to keep his snickers to himself.

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Sam and Izzy were in the living room reading a book about dragons while Mary and John tried to sort out zoning and building codes pertaining to property lines and of all things… ponds. They both were getting frustrated by the time they realized that the only way they were going to be able to make heads or tails out of it was if they talked to someone face to face since the only answers they were getting by phone was that the whole property had to be re-platted to show the new body of water.

John had stayed to watch over Sammy while Mary had taken Dean to school earlier, and he was happy to see his boy adjusting to everything so well. Now all he needed to do was get the shop built and the little guy could help him rebuild some cars. The thought had occurred to him several times that Sammy wouldn't want anything to do with the business, but at the moment it was the only thing he could think of to bond with his boy. He wasn't foolish enough to think that Sammy was going to follow in Dean's footsteps as far as interests in cars went, the boy liked to learn about everything though; almost as if he thought his days were numbered and he wanted to pack as much into his life as he could. That thought sent a cold chill down his back and he wanted nothing more than to keep his mind away from that morose thought.

After gathering up all the information he would need, John kissed Mary and Sammy bye and headed out the door to see if he could straighten out the mess that was occurring just because he wanted to build a small business on his son's property. 'Really, how hard could it be?' He pondered on his way into the courthouse, hoping that there was a way to expedite everything without involving more people; more people meant a greater chance of his little boy's secret would come out, and no matter what he told Sammy, it was something he worried about.

Several hours and a migraine in the making later, John exited the courthouse and made his way back to the Impala desperate to get back home to what he had just recently found to be his sanity, even with all the insanity that seemed to run amok around them. He managed to get to the car and even reach the door handle when a voice behind him stopped him cold.

"Mr. Winchester, I need to speak to you about your son Sam and his very special… uh, _talents_."

Mary knew that today was going to be a bad one, it had pointed that way as soon as she had heard Sammy's question about school. Afterwards she'd taken Dean so he wouldn't be late and she knew that something was going on when she could have sworn that someone was following her. Now, as she continued to listen to her Sammy read from a book in a language she couldn't possibly begin to understand, she had a sudden insight about herself that she didn't like – she was jealous! She'd never thought about it before, she had just been happy that someone had shown Sammy some love even if it was for a short time before he came to them, but now she suddenly realized that she was jealous of a dead woman named Karen.


	9. Chapter 9

AN: Hey everyone... I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday! Take care!!

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John froze as the man's unspoken question hung in the air, _is it true that your son has special abilities?_ He had no idea who this person was, but he could already tell that there was a potential for danger to his son if this man kept pursuing this. Taking a deep breath, he did the only thing he could think of, he tackled it head on.

"Look, I don't know who you are, or what you think you know, but I suggest you forget that you even know my son's name."

Ryan Vic saw that the man before him meant business, but he couldn't just drop this, the information he'd already found was tantalizing enough to make him wonder about not only one article, but a series; moments in time with a miracle. "Mr. Winchester, I understand your hesitancy, but I really must ask you a few questions. For instance, from what I have been told your son can heal people, is this true, and don't you think that other people should know?"

Hearing what he had already suspected, John was not wanting to give the man anymore fodder for his theory's, but he wasn't certain how to get rid of him short of knocking the guy out, and that would only add to Sammy's self proclaimed guilt. 'The kid feels guilty about eating a hamburger after he sees a cow.' He thought fondly of his son. Looking back at the man, he asked, "So, who are you and what exactly do you want?"

Although the tone was neutral, Ryan knew that there was no way he could assume that he was about to get the break in the story that easily. Finally he smiled, "My name is Ryan Vic and I'm a…"

"Reporter… you broke the story about the child prostitution ring in Florida a couple of years ago." John said, inwardly groaning at their luck that a national bi-liner had caught wind of Sammy's talents.

Smiling, Ryan nodded, "Yes, that's me, but I have to admit that I only wrote the story, it was the brave people who stepped forward that actually broke it open." He said, watching John warily, sensing that the man wasn't as calm as he appeared.

"So, you're telling me that someone of your extraordinary talents just happened to come across some fairy tale version of my son's life story and now you want to parade what someone supposedly says in a story and spread it for everyone to see." John said, trying hard not to curl his hand into a fist while suddenly realizing that it already was there. "Mr. Vic, I suggest that you leave my family alone. The very boy your trying to capitalize on is the very one I will protect with my life, I suggest you remember that."

Ryan watched as John Winchester got in his Impala and drove off. 'Well, that could have gone better.' He thought as he looked at his notes. He knew there was a story, a big one, but he needed to find a way to get all the facts so it didn't end up being a tabloid piece instead of The New York Times. His problem was just how was he supposed to put the pieces together?

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Mary continued to listen as Sammy continued to read aloud and she had to admit that the language sounded more like music than actual words, and she was lulled into a sense of calm that she hadn't expected. Her grocery list forgotten, she drifted into herself to a nothingness that she hadn't experienced before, the peace that surrounded her was surreal and she knew that it would be something that she'd remember for quite awhile.

"Hello Mary Winchester!" a voice sounded behind her, making her whirl around in her peaceful calm, all the while understanding that her body was still as it was, sitting at the table with pencil in hand. 'Odd.' She thought, almost with a detached sense of self. When she saw the woman in front of her though, she froze, not expecting who it was. "Karen?" she whispered, worried that any sudden move or noise would chase the woman away.

Karen smiled and nodded, "I see that Sam has spoken of me. He is well?" she asked.

"Yes, as well as he can be. He still has people after him, but we're trying to help." Mary answered, looking around to see that they were still alone. "Are you dead like Izzy believes?"

The other woman smiled gently then nodded, "I went to her after it happened; I wanted to make sure she didn't worry. I hope that Sam didn't take what I did harshly, it was the only thing I could think of to keep him safe."

"He thought you didn't love him anymore, that he did something bad and that's why you sent him away." Mary said honestly. When she saw Karen's look of anguish she added quickly, "He ran to Monterey when they got to close. Above everything, he knew that if he was in trouble, he could always go to you."

"I envy you Mary Winchester, you are able to enjoy him as much as I had."

Laughing, Mary admitted, "I envy you, because you mean so much to him."

They stood there in amicable silence before Mary spoke. "I have to go back soon, will I remember this?" she asked, hoping she would if for no other reason than to confirm to Sammy that Karen did indeed love him very much.

Karen nodded even as she faded away and Mary slowly became aware again of her surroundings. Sammy was just finishing his reading and Izzy mentioned something about a small snack which brought Mary back the rest of the way in full force. Looking around she noticed that she had been out of it for about fifteen minutes, which was both unnerving and unbelievable. Seeing the pair walk in from the living room, she motioned for her little boy to join her. Pulling him onto her lap she hugged him for quite awhile before she pulled away.

"Sammy, I want you to know that Karen loves you very much, and even though she can't be here, she's happy that you're with us."

Sam looked at his Mommy and knew that something happened while he was in the other room, but wasn't sure what it could have been. Finally he nodded and gave her another hug before calling out to Puppy to go outside.

Both Izzy and Mary watched the two run out into the sunny day, just a little boy and his dog. One day, they both knew, they wouldn't be so carefree about having Sammy out of their sight, but for now they wanted to enjoy his freedom and listen to his carefree laughter as the small dog did something to make their little boy even happier.

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Dean was in a good mood; in fact he was in a better mood than what he had expected. Coach Sanders had caught up with him earlier in the day and had said that if he still played as well as normal, he'd be able to start in tomorrow's night game. Then at lunch he had the strong feeling that his little brother was extremely happy which gave him the stupidest grin through the next two periods. So by the time he was at practice he felt like nothing could go wrong. Yeah, he should have known things were too good.

While getting ready in the locker room two other boys walked in and stood close by, trying to corner him. Already sensing a new presence in the room, Dean had unconsciously positioned his back towards the locker. "Something I can help you two with?" he asked, arching a brow as he sized up his opponents. He knew who they were and they definitely weren't there for a nice chat about the weather.

"Yeah, you can make sure your freakazoid of a brother says home with mommy." One of the boys said looking harshly at Dean.

"Look Ian, I know that your brother has a beef with Sammy, but do you really think that trying to play the tough guy with me is going to help any? 'Cause let me tell you, I already know how it's going to turn out, and you won't like it." Dean told the boy while stepping over the bench to get into a better position.

Ian was about the same height as Dean, but weighed about fifteen pounds more. He came from a family who believed that if you didn't get what you want, then it was because you didn't push hard enough. Most kids stayed away from him and his friends due to fear, but Dean had always tried to stay out of their way so he didn't have to deal with them. The other boy was Toby, the typical yes man to Ian and underneath it all the class joke. No one liked him mainly because he was such a weasel, but in a sick sort of way they felt sorry for him just because they knew how pathetic he was without Ian to tell him what to do.

"Look, I don't have a problem with you Winchester, just your brother. Ever since he came into town weird things keep happening, and I don't want him to taint my family; especially my little brother. Do we understand each other?"

Dean looked at the two other boys and wondered if he had actually heard a threat in that spiel or if it had been his imagination. Pretending to consider what the other boy said, he finally shook his head. "Sorry guys, but you see it's a free country and my little brother can go wherever he wants to. Amazing really if you think about it; I mean, you have the right to express your opinion, he has the right to go where he wants, and I have the right to defend what's mine."

That must have been the wrong thing to say because the next second after Dean's tiny speech, he was being charged by a very upset Ian who apparently didn't mind having it out in the boys locker room. As soon as Dean felt Ian's hands on his shoulders, he grabbed the other boy by the arms and flung him to the other side of the row of lockers then back again. He knew they were making a racket, but at this point he didn't care, his main concern was to make sure Ian got the point that Sammy was off limits.

By the time Coach Sanders rushed into the locker room, Ian had gotten a cheap shot in and the bruise was pronounced on the right side of Dean's mouth, but Ian had more than a couple himself and Toby had a terrified look on his face while he tried to make himself small in the corner. "What is going on in here?" he bellowed, already wondering if he was going to have to suspend three boys, one of them his potential star player.

Looking carefully at Ian then at Toby, Dean calmly replied, "Nothing Coach, I was just showing them some self defense moves, you know in case they get bullied."

The shocked expressions on the other boys' faces were a dead giveaway that that wasn't what happened. "So Ian, you guys were just practicing and it got carried away?" he asked, wondering why he even bothered, it wasn't as if the kid was actually going to confess what had really happened.

"Yes sir, just like Dean said, just practicing some moves, right Toby?" he tossed over to his friend, sending a silent signal of what the answer should be.

Silently wishing that he'd never heard the commotion, Coach Sanders nodded. "Fine, but you all know the school rules, anyone caught fighting and it's automatic suspension."

Toby chose this precise moment to jump into the conversation by pointing out, "Actually sir, you didn't catch us doing anything."

"Just don't let me hear anything about a repeat, got it? Winchester, get on the court… you two, get out of here." The Coach growled, wishing he had taken the day off after all.

Dean felt himself relax by the time he made it to the gym, he really thought he'd get suspended… again, and that just wouldn't be a good thing right now; his parents had enough to worry about without him getting into trouble.

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Damon knew that his patient was getting better, and he attributed it a lot to his family helping him through the rough patches, but he didn't delude himself either; the kid wasn't out of the woods yet. Sam may be a tough kid, but even tough kids had their limits and he was certain the little boy had recently been to his. Thankfully they had been able to pull him back…this time. Now winter was approaching, and it would be a tough time for kids in general with getting colds, but it could be disastrous for anyone who had suffered from pneumonia recently like little Sam had.

As he pondered over what to do, he thought back to the last time he saw the little boy; his world had been turned upside down with the Moore's leaving town. He thought about stopping in, but knew that his relationship with the Winchester's was still slightly rocky and he couldn't blame them for being careful, especially after he was confronted by the reporter about his young patient. Suddenly he remembered that he hadn't told Mary or John about that, and he knew it was something they needed to know.

After gathering some supplies and files, he rushed out of his office and towards his car hoping to catch one or both at home; he knew this was something that needed to be discussed in person.

So wrapped up in his patient's well being, he didn't notice the car that started to follow him as soon as he left the hospital parking garage.


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Hey everyone... I hope you like this one, don't forget to let me know!

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Sam saw the car get closer, but he recognized it as Damon's so he didn't worry about it too much. He knew that the doctor and his parents hadn't gotten along lately, but he hadn't asked why, knowing that his mommy and daddy wouldn't do anything unless they had a good reason, including not talking to Damon. When the car stopped close by, he waved and ran inside with Puppy close at his heals.

"Mommy, Damon's here!" he shouted, anxious to fill her in on what he thought was good news. When he saw her puzzled look, he understood that she wasn't expecting him and that it might not be as good as he thought. "Mommy, did he do something bad?" he asked, hoping that his friend wasn't in any trouble.

Mary looked at her son and saw how worried he was. Smiling, she shook her head. "No baby, it was just a misunderstanding, that's all. How about you and Izzy take Puppy in the kitchen for a snack?" As she watched her little boy rush off to spoil the small dog, she couldn't help but worry. Damon had been out to visit and check on Sammy once since they got back from Minnesota, and they had managed to patch things up then, but for some reason she had the feeling this wasn't a social call.

"Hi Mary, I see that my arrival has already been announced?" Damon said quietly from the open doorway. Suddenly not sure about this, he was willing to give her the opening to toss him out on his ear; of course being Mary, she'd do it ever so politely. He knew that John wasn't home, and had noticed the pond that seemed to have sprung up since the last time he'd been out, but he was trying to stay focused that they needed to know what was going on with the youngest member of their family.

"Come in Damon, how about some coffee?" Mary offered, hoping that this was more of a social call than a business one; they had been so sure that Sammy had been getting better, and she really didn't want to hear otherwise if at all possible.

As he stepped into the house, Damon knew that Mary was concerned about his surprise visit, and he couldn't blame her; things were never easy in their household. "I was hoping John would be here too, any idea when he'll be back?"

"Actually I expected him back a little while ago; he was going to talk to City Hall about his plans for the shop. Is this something that I can fill him in later?" she asked, suddenly concerned that they now had something else coming at them that they hadn't expected. 'Come on John, what's taking so long?'

Before either of them could express their thoughts about the bureaucratic headache that seemed to take it's toll on everyone at some time or another, the sound of the Impala approaching made them turn towards the toward the door in relief.

When John pulled up to the house, he recognized the car and wasn't sure how he should feel about the doctor being back so soon. He knew that Sammy had been fine when he left, so the thought that something must have happened immediately jumped into his head, making him rush towards the door.

"Daddy!" Sammy exclaimed as he jumped into his Daddy's arms, making the man sigh in relief that his little boy was safe and happy. Looking down at the little boy he suddenly had an odd thought. "Sammy, how about we measure you today?"

Excited, Sam ran to the closet door next to the kitchen and immediately opened it. As the adults in the house laughed at his enthusiasm, Sam was anxious to see how tall he was now; after all it had been a whole _month_ since they checked last. As he watched his Daddy get the pen they used especially for this purpose, Sam started to jump around a little, he just knew that he was bigger, he just knew it!

"Alright Buddy, calm down. Now stand up…" John started but stopped when he saw his little boy suddenly stop fidgeting and stood as straight as he could against the closet door. Smiling, he put a small mark on the door before nodding to his boy that he did it. When they looked back at it, they both smiled. "You did it Sammy; you grew a half inch in the last month!" John said excitedly. They knew he was underdeveloped and any sign of improvement was a reason to celebrate.

Damon watched happily as the Winchester's hugged the little boy making him feel as if he's walked on the moon instead of doing something that should be so natural to a little boy. He was glad that he was there to see the expression on Sam's face though when his daddy had announced how big he was getting; it wasn't something that he'd ever forget. All too soon the moment had past though when John sent the boy in for some cookies and milk and turned towards him.

"So Damon, what brought you out here?" John asked, praying that he was wrong in his assumptions.

"I was paid a visit by a reporter by the name of Ryan Vic. He wanted my take on how special Sam is, and I let him know that all the kids are special; I doubt he believed me, but I had to try." Damon said, trying to work the knot out of his chest at the thought of what could happen to the little boy if word really got out about his special talents. "Oh, and I wanted to make sure that you all knew that with Sam's health problems lately, we all need to take extra precautions to make sure he doesn't get sick this winter."

Surprised, both Mary and John looked at the doctor with concern. They knew that with Sammy having just recovered from pneumonia it could be easy for him to come down with other respiratory problems, but they hadn't been too concerned since he'd been doing so well. Now though it seemed that their little boy wasn't completely out of the woods yet.

"I didn't want to alarm you; I just wanted to make sure that you understood that he could still be susceptible to other illnesses, especially since his body had been working overtime to repair the damage to his heart." The young doctor gently reminded them. He knew it was easy to forget just how sick Sam had been, especially as energetic as he seemed to be now. He just didn't want to take anything for granted where the little guy was concerned; he found that he was extremely fond of the whole family.

John understood where Damon was coming from, and he wished that he had thought of it earlier. With the changing season going into winter it would be hard enough keeping Sam occupied without risking another setback, the boy loved being outside, but it looked like they would have to limit his time soon. Sighing, he nodded. "Ok, it won't be easy, but I guess we'll have to keep him inside more."

"John, no… he's a little boy, and you know how much he loves playing with Puppy out there. Damon, don't tell us that it's better to coop him up in the house when you can see how much he's improved while being allowed to roam." Mary said, devastated that her husband thought this was a case of either one way or the other; there had to be a middle ground.

Damon agreed, "I just wanted to make sure you take precautions before you let him visit with people, if they're sick, try to keep his exposure to a minimum, that's all. John, he's going to catch an occasional cold, that's a given, just make sure that if it looks like it's hanging on a little too long or too severe, bring him in so we can stop whatever it is he's fighting."

Listening to the doctor, John felt a little better. Lately there hadn't been too many visitors and since Sammy wasn't in school then his exposure to the flu would drop considerably. Now he just had to convince Dean that not every sniffle his little brother had was a life or death emergency. 'Sure, that'll be easy.'

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Caleb saw the doctor's car pull in through the gate and smiled to himself. He knew that Sam liked Damon and that went a long way for the hunter to believe that the doctor was actually a good man. Of course it also helped to find out what the man had done to get John's dad off their back; he wondered if he should fill in the Winchester's on that piece of information. 'Nah,' he thought, 'it would just make them ask questions that he was sure didn't need to be asked.

He had almost decided to give up his position in the tree line when he saw another car slow down across the road and finally stop. He didn't like the idea of the doctor being followed, and liked the idea of who they were really after even less. Checking to make sure no one else was around, he made his way around to the creek and followed it under the small bridge then back up to the other side of the road. Not willing to take the chance of spooking the driver, he quickly flung open the door and pointed his gun at the man behind the wheel.

"Who are you and what do you want?" he demanded.

Ryan hated moments like these when his brain either refused to engage or his mouth refused to obey. At the moment it seemed that both were happening at the same time, and he had no idea what to do about it. He hadn't expected an armed man to be close by, but now that he was starting to think properly he was able to discern that he had to be on the right path if the Winchester's thought a bodyguard was necessary for their little boy.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone, I just wanted to talk to Sam Winchester for a few minutes then I'll be on my way."

"That didn't answer my first question. Who are you?"

"Ryan Vic, I'm a journalist and…"

"…and you want to talk to the youngest member of the Winchester family out of the goodness of your heart? Why don't I believe that? Now, how about telling me what you really want." Caleb said with a deadly calm as he seated himself in the car. There was no way he was going to let this guy go without some answers.

Not liking the idea having a bullet put in his head, but confident that it wouldn't come to that, Ryan nodded. "Ok, look, I don't know if you've noticed anything different about the boy, but several people believe that he's special and…"

'Nope, don't like where this is going at all.' Caleb thought to himself as he half listened to the man who was starting to talk about Pulitzer's and series, and even the public's 'right to know' which grated Caleb's nerves to no end. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and growled at the man in front of him. "I tell you what, how about you leave the family alone and I get to stay a happy man."

Shocked, Ryan couldn't believe what he heard. After everything he'd just said about how a boy like Sam Winchester could do so much good, and how people had the right to know who they were living next to, this man had the audacity to sound as if he were threatening him. "Now wait a minute! I have every right to…"

"You have the right to do whatever it is you do as long as it doesn't harm other people, especially people who mean a lot to me. So I suggest you go on your merry little way and forget you ever heard of them, otherwise our next conversation won't be so congenial." Caleb said with a feral grin. There was just something about this guy that actual grated on him and he would love to have an excuse to go the next level with the man.

Feeling as if the man before him was serious, Ryan nodded and was about to say something else when the sound of the Impala distracted him. As he was about to turn he heard Caleb's voice tell him not to even think about it, so he kept still until the car passed. "You do know that if it's not me, someone else will come. There are too many people willing to tell their story of how they know him; you won't be able to keep him a secret forever."

Caleb thought about it for awhile and knew the man was right. Taking a moment, he ran a few scenarios through his head and didn't like how any of them turned out. Finally fastened his seatbelt then looked at the reporter and ordered. "Drive." He didn't like this option either, but it might be enough to allow Sam time to get a handle on his gifts so he wouldn't be in as much danger of exposure.


	11. Chapter 11

AN: Sorry about the delay, sick people at home and storms in the area have kept me hopping. Hope you like this one, don't forget to let me know...

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Mary had promised Sammy not to ruin his surprise, but it was hard not to fill Dean in on what had the huge smile on her face. Asking about what had happened at school and during practice, she bought herself enough time to get them almost home… almost.

"Ok Mom, what's going on, you look like we just won the lottery or something. What's happened?" Dean asked, trying to figure out what was going on. Whatever it was had her so happy he thought she would start to float around.

"What do you mean Dean? I always look like this." She said as she turned onto their property, hoping that she could stall just a few more minutes.

Dean knew something had happened, and he hated being left in the dark about anything that had to do with his family, especially if it had something to do with… "What about Sammy?" he demanded, sure now that whatever his mom was hiding had to do with his little brother. Thinking quickly he tossed out the obvious things; Sammy hurt, Sammy sick, Sammy taken, because there was no way his mom would be happy about that. Suddenly looking up to see that they were in front of the cottage, he jumped out of the Impala yelling for his little brother, effectively ignoring the relieved look on his mother's face.

Sam heard Dean from the front yard and wondered if maybe his surprise was ruined, but after seeing his big brother's face he knew that everything was fine. "Dean! Come see, come see!" he exclaimed, grabbing his brother's hand and attempting to drag him to the closet door.

Being pulled along by his eight year old _tiny_ brother wasn't something he was prepared for, but decided to humor Sammy just to see what had him so happy. When they stopped in front of the door, Dean stood there for a moment not understanding why anything inside would make anyone that ecstatic unless…

"Sammy, did you… I mean like… _really_?" Dean tried to ask but was so caught up in what it could mean that his words kept tripping over themselves.

"Uh huh… look Dean look!" Sam squealed as he opened the door and showed his big brother his surprise, waiting excitedly for Dean to see how much bigger he was now.

Looking at the closet door gave Dean mixed feelings and he wasn't sure what to do about it. On the one hand, his little brother actually grew in the last month and that was in spite of being sick and worried and everything else that was just so _Sammy_. Then again, it was only half an inch which still put him as the smallest kid in his class, dampening any feeling of excitement he initially had. Seeing how excited Sammy was he couldn't help but feel that way too, but he also knew he couldn't lie to his brother.

"This is a great start Sammy, really… but you know that you still have a lot to do before you'll be as big as everyone in you grade, right?" Dean asked, scared that maybe he had crushed his brother with his honesty.

Sam looked at Dean oddly before answering. "Well duh Dean, I can't do it all at _once_… that would be _freaky_!"

John laughed at Sammy's answer and Dean's look of surprise; somehow he already knew that his little boy was a step ahead of them all. Looking over at the young doctor then towards Mary, he saw that they were in agreement; sometimes Sammy was just too damn smart.

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Caleb really hated this guy. It was bad enough that the man had the ego the size of Alaska, but he never shut up! Although happy to get the reporter away from the Winchester's, he was really having second thoughts about what he was about to do, he needed to make sure this guy understood what would happen if people actually got wind of Sam's talent's.

"Pull over here." He demanded, not exactly sure if the person he was looking for would be there. Sighing, he pointed towards the front door and kept his gun pointed at the guy to make sure he didn't try to run off.

Walking up this particular set of steps had never been so hard before, but then again so much had happened since the last time he'd been here; he just hoped this wasn't a wasted effort.

"And why would you think visiting a friend would be a wasted effort Caleb?" Missouri asked as she opened the door. Seeing the two men in front of her, she smiled and ushered them inside. "No then, if you'll put that pea shooter away, we can discuss why you brought Mr. Vic here."

Ryan looked not only startled, but terrified. "Hhhow…"

Missouri reached over and patted the man on the knee. "Now don't worry so much, neither Caleb nor I will hurt you… isn't that right Caleb?"

Groaning, Caleb nodded while muttering under his breath.

"Don't cuss at me; you brought him here not the other way around. Now sit down both of you, I'm not as young as I used to be and I've had a rough couple of months." She said wryly as she watched the hunter before her look at her as if he wasn't exactly sure whose side she was really one. "Don't worry Caleb, I won't bite. Now, how about we actually get down to business; I have a feeling that Mr. Vic has a lot of questions."

Caleb had no doubt about what Missouri said; in fact he'd wager that the things she wanted to talk about would actually take a lot more time than what he had at the moment. Right now his main concern was getting this blood hound off Sammy's trail, and Missouri was the only one he could think of who could help him throw the guy off. His attention was snapped back when he heard the other man ask about how many people thought that Sam had the ability to heal people and that it was the right of the public to be informed about it. He was about to snarl at the reporter, when Missouri did something that completely shocked him; she agreed.

"Why yes, that child has many talents, abilities if you will; healing is of course only one."

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There were some days that Bobby should never answer the phone, or answer the door, hell just get out of bed; too bad today was one of those days. He couldn't believe that Caleb was that much of an idiot, but if what he'd just heard was true then the moron needed his ass kicked. Then again, when didn't he?

He had been positive that they had discussed the importance of keeping a low profile, to not draw attention towards the Winchester's, but then again when had that ever stopped the damn fool when he had a hair up his tail end? Sighing he packed his bag intent on getting to Kansas before anyone else got wind of what was going on, he just hoped that Caleb wasn't doing what he thought he was doing.

"Damn idgit!" he muttered as he put his cap back on his head and started towards the door, not even reaching it when the pounding started. Knowing that the only hunters close by wouldn't dare to step onto his property even if they were bleeding to death; he reached over for his shotgun before calling out. "Yeah… hold on!"

After opening the door he stared at the person in front of him for a moment before bellowing. "What the hell are _you_ doing here?"

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Dean lay in his bed watching his little brother sleep, thinking about the events of the day. He knew that his parents didn't like the idea of him fighting in the locker room, but they also understood why he did it and were thankful that he hadn't gotten in trouble after all for it. His news about starting in tomorrow night's game had Sammy so excited he had started to choke on his food, making everyone start to panic until he was breathing normally again, and then they all laughed because the kid couldn't shut up about how great it would be to see his big brother play a game. Now though he couldn't help but wonder if maybe that wasn't such a good idea. It wasn't that he didn't trust Sammy to keep his abilities under wraps, it was the fact that his parents told him what Damon had shared with them and it scared him – a lot. He already lost one brother; he didn't think he had it in him to lose another one, especially since they were so closely connected.

The sound of a small whimper made Dean switch his gaze from Sammy to Puppy and he knew that the small dog could tell what he was worried about. He still hadn't fully wrapped his head around the fact that the puppy was actually his father and that Sammy's grandfather had arranged it; if he let himself think about it he knew that it wouldn't be long before he lost his mind.

"Hey Puppy, what's wrong?" he whispered, hoping that the animal would get the hint and leave him alone. When he heard another whimper he knew that the message wasn't getting through. Letting out a deep breath, Dean was about to get out of bed to take Puppy someplace else so he wouldn't disturb Sammy when his little brother groggily spoke out into the night.

"He says he wishes he could talk to you."

Surprised, Dean looked first at Sammy, then at Puppy before wondering what he should think about that.

Yawning, Sam started to rub his eyes before he looked at his worried big brother. "Dean, you can think whatever you like about it, but he just wishes he could talk to you and help you understand what's going on." Seeing that Dean was looking at him strangely, he shrugged his shoulders and rolled over and started back to sleep. "Night Dean, night Puppy."

Both Dean and Puppy looked at each other as if the thought never occurred to them that they were _thinking_ too loud for Sammy. Finally they both huffed and settled in for the night, slowly drifting back to sleep. "We're _so_ going to talk about this in the morning Sammy." Dean muttered before finally closing his eyes and succumbing to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Hope you all like this one, don't forget to let me know!!

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Bobby stood at the door staring at the last person he'd ever expected to see at his salvage yard, but then again he'd never given a thought that man would know where he was to being with. "Reilly, where the hell have you been man?" he asked as he looked at the former police officer. "Get your ass in here before you for fall over."

Reilly tried to smile but knew it came out more of a grimace. Following the other man back into the house he looked around and noticed the stacks of books along the walls and in the corners, fitting what he'd already suspected about the hunter; if the man didn't know it, he knew how to find it out. "Sorry about this, but I seem to have ticked off the wrong people."

Smirking, Bobby nodded as he looked the man over knowing that there was more to this visit than what was on the surface. The last time anyone had seen or heard from the man was before Dean and Sammy took them all for that chase cross country. As far as anyone knew he had gone out of town due to personal issues; in other words, he'd been fired and moved. Handing the man a beer, Bobby leaned against the door frame and got to the point. "So how did you find me and why are you here?"

The stories that he'd heard about the older hunter seemed to be right on the money, which actually made Reilly feel a lot better about what he had to say. "Look, I know that you already know about Dean and were friends with his birth parents, but you also need to know that there are people who are willing to make sure he doesn't begin his training." He said and then held up his hand to hold off the questions he knew had to be coming. "When I found Dean on the roadside I had no idea who or what he was, it was right before he moved in with the Winchester's that I was approached by some very… interesting people who wanted to take the kid off our hands; I told them to buzz off which apparently was the right answer. All I had to do was make sure nothing happened to the boy and if anything strange started to occur then I was supposed to call a number they provided. I watched Dean grow up with a good family and as I got to know him I knew that something wasn't right with the initial request; I found out just how wrong those people were when John and Mary took off to meet up with the boys. When I missed them at the airport I left to find someone who might be able to help, unfortunately she fell victim to their schemes herself and now's in too deep to risk any information that you probably don't already have."

Hearing what the man said, Bobby had a feeling that maybe Reilly could help out more than initially thought; if he could be trusted that is. "Alright, so you know someone with insider information but she's not willing to talk; so what is it that you think you know that's so damn important."

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Sam wasn't having a very good day and it seemed to only be getting worse. When he woke up Dean was already gone making him feel like he'd completely missed something in the night, then during breakfast he managed to overturn a whole bowl of cereal all over the floor and when he went to clean it up he hit his head on the bottom of the table. When he started to do his school work he couldn't figure out what he was supposed to do, he couldn't seem to understand the instructions and it was more than a little frustrating. With his daddy gone again, it left him with his mommy and Puppy which was fine except neither one could seem to help him get out of whatever mess he'd found himself in. He had managed to not hurt himself or break anything all afternoon, but now as he was getting ready to go to Dean's game his coordination went completely haywire again leaving him sprawled on the floor at the bottom of the ladder.

"Oh my God, Sammy!" Mary cried out as she saw her little boy on the floor. She'd seen him struggle all day and couldn't figure out what was going on. It had been so bad for a little while that she had entertained the idea of calling Damian, but when things started to smooth out she thought that whatever it was had passed. Now though she wasn't sure and as she reached her son, she started to wonder yet again what was going on. "Sammy sweetie, are you ok?"

Nodding, Sam sat up and looked around as if not recognizing anything. Finally though, as his gaze settled back onto his mommy he smiled widely. "I'm fine Mommy, can we go now?" he asked, not wanting to be late for the game.

Although worried about what just happened, Mary was more than willing to chalk it up to her little boy not having a very good day. Looking at the clock she knew that John would be there soon to take them to the gymnasium where they'd meet up with Dean, she just hoped that whatever was going on with Sammy had passed; she didn't think any of them were up for another trip to the hospital where the little boy would be poked and prodded.

"As soon as your Dad gets here then we can go, ok? Why don't you get your coat so we'll be ready." She said softly and then watched as Sammy ran to put his coat on in anticipation of his daddy's arrival.

No sooner had Sammy zipped up, the sound of the Impala getting closer could be heard making both Mary and Sammy smile while they left the small cottage. Mary didn't know what had been going on all day, but she sent up a prayer that tonight would be a lot better.

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Caleb looked at Missouri as if she'd lost her mind, while Ryan looked at her as if she was the greatest find he'd ever seen. Missouri however looked at both of them with a form of disinterest that would have worried most people, but did nothing to those in front of her at the moment.

"Oh yes, that boy is a powerhouse, or at least he will be once he fully grows into his gifts." She stated calmly before turning her attention fully on the reporter. "That is if he lives that long."

Stunned by the sudden bruteness of the psychic's statement, Ryan paused a moment before asking, "Excuse me?"

"Mr. Vic, Sam is very special as you have already guessed, but what you don't know is just how special that boy really is. Too many people want to use him for their own reasons while giving no thought whatsoever to him or his needs. He is still a little boy you know. Now you want to write a story about a 'miracle boy', and that's fine; as long as that miracle boy isn't our Sam." Missouri said calmly while sipping her tea. She could see the puzzlement on both men's faces, but needed to make sure that her meaning was clear. "There are others who will continue their attempts to kill him rather than watch him grow into his gifts. Now the question is are you willing to risk the life of a little boy just so you can justify your own existence?"

Ryan sat there a moment before chuckling, "Alright, so you don't want me snooping anymore. I understand that, but you have to realize that this boy could be the answer to everyone's prayers. He could cure the terminally ill, help people lead better lives. If he's the real deal, then people need to know."

Sighing, Missouri shook her head. "People will believe what they want to believe, and unfortunately most people still believe that if someone is different then they're evil. Do you really want people to treat that sweet boy as if he's the Devil's child? I can assure you, there are those who love him and will protect him… no, _have_ protected him with their lives, Mr. Vic. He is a boy with abilities that most people could never comprehend. If people found out about him, he'd never get a moments peace with crowds of people wanting his help, until they finally killed him with their need. Those who want him dead just because he exists would find it easier to accomplish their goal, and the end would be the same; you would have your story, and Sam would not be with us anymore."

Looking back and forth between the woman in front of him and the man who had brought him, Ryan had to wonder if any of this was true. He then understood that it was, he'd seen it too many times; people not understanding what they had and either destroying it or squandering it with the results being the same, it was gone. Looking over at the man, Ryan asked, "So where do you fit in?"

Caleb smirked, "You know I've been wondering that myself. Let's just say I'm an uncle with a full arsenal and no compunctions to use it."

"So why are you telling me this if you don't want me to tell people about it?" he asked.

Amused, Missouri smiled sweetly, "Why to help us help him, of course."

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Dean had no idea how they were going to win this one, the score was tied and they had less than twenty seconds on the clock, with the other team having the ball. It wouldn't have been so bad except that his family was there and it was Sammy's first time watching him play so he had wanted to make sure it was a game to remember. Now though as he looked at his teammates and listened to the coach he knew that everyone was feeling more than a little stressed. Putting his hand in the center with the rest, he heard his little brother in the stands cheering for him and it made him smile.

As they raced back to the court he heard Jimmy ask; "That your little brother, man?"

"Yeah, that's Sammy. It's his first game, and I want to make a good impression." Dean said smugly while inside not knowing how they were going to pull it off.

With the ball in play and the clock winding down, the gym was full of cheers and yelling to the point that the echoes vibrated through the bleachers as the visiting team drove the ball down the center of the court. As Dean's teammates surrounded the boy with the ball, Dean's only thought was "if I could just get hold of it…"

He'd been practicing with trick shots for awhile and had gotten bored with it pretty quick, but when he saw a game on TV one afternoon where a shot was made from the center, he had started to work on that, and although not an expert he just had to try something… anything. Seeing the clock with now ten seconds, he burst forward tipping the ball out of the other boy's grip while zigging around to get a better grip, shocking those who had been defending the ball in their small crowd, and taking it further into his end. He knew it was going to be close, with the others starting to crowd him in and not being able to pass, but he also knew that he was further in from the center and had a better chance. With now only two seconds to go, he crouched down then sprung up letting the ball go towards the backboard. Silence descended on the crowd as they heard the buzzer and saw the ball in motion. The sound of the ball connecting to the rim echoed keeping everyone transfixed as it seemed to wobble along until finally, as if a slight gust of wind blew, it dropped into the basket sending the home crowd screaming in victory.

Dean stood there in shock for a moment with one thing running through his mind, "It should never have gone it… it wasn't going in… how the hell…" Suddenly he looked into the crowd and caught sight of his family and saw that Sammy was jumping up and down shouting his happiness for everyone to hear. Looking between the goal and his little brother, he suddenly wasn't as happy as he was before. Before he could move further, he was surrounded by his teammates and coach with everyone congratulating him on the awesome shot.

"I didn't do it Dean… it wasn't me!" Sammy insisted later, not understanding why his brother wouldn't believe him.

Mary and John looked at each other with sadness before turning their attention back to the road. They both had seen the disappointed look on Dean's face as soon as he saw the ball hit the rim; he knew it wasn't going to go in. When they all watched it wobble everyone had held their breath wondering which way it was going to go, only to then see it fall into the hoop. They knew Sammy had been excited about the game and had wanted Dean's team to win, so it was easy to conclude that maybe Sammy had something to do with it. Now though they were hearing him tell them that it wasn't him which made them wonder if it was an accident, or if it really was just a lucky shot.

"Sammy, if you did it then fine, just admit it though, ok. I don't want any secrets between us." Dean said half heartedly while staring out his side of the window. He really wished his brother would just stop talking; it wasn't making him feel any better about the game at all.

"But Dean…" Sam practically whined then stopped, seeing that no matter what he said, it wouldn't be enough to convince his brother he was telling the truth. Taking a deep breath, Sam looked out the window ignoring the concerned glanced his parents were tossing his way.

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Something woke him up and he couldn't say that he appreciated it. As he listened, Dean could heard the wind blowing outside, promising a colder morning later, but he knew that wasn't what had pulled him out of his dreams. While trying to place what was wrong, his thoughts went back to the time after the game and the trip back home. Sammy had insisted that he hadn't made that basket, but Dean knew that there was no way the ball had gone in there on its own. Sighing, he couldn't get the look on his little brother's face out of his head, or the fact that Sammy hadn't eaten anything for dinner either.

'All he had to do was tell us what really happened.' He thought to himself as he replayed the events of the evening in his head. 'Even Mom and Dad think he did it.'

Glancing over to the other bed, he wondered how they were going to get past this if Sammy couldn't even tell them the truth, whether about him doing it, or not knowing if he did. With everything that they had already been through, he had really thought that his little brother trusted him with everything, now though he could only guess that wasn't the case after all. Seeing the time on the clock, he knew he could still get some more sleep before it was time to get up with Caleb. Rolling over he closed his eyes and drifted back into the dream world that he had been yanked out of earlier.

Sam lay quiet in the dark trying hard not to make a sound, but it was hard; his legs and arms hurt so much that all he wanted was to crawl into bed with Dean and let him make him feel better. But with what happened earlier, he wasn't going to do that. His family didn't believe him and he couldn't bear to see the looks they kept giving him or hear the questions they kept asking. Finally though he had been able to go to bed and after putting Puppy outside in his play yard, he made his way to bed hoping that he wouldn't wake up again; not if this was what was going to happen. Unfortunately he woke up because he hurt so badly and had accidentally woke Dean up, making him feel even worse. He knew the instant that Dean went back to sleep, giving him the freedom to allow the small sob to escape and the tears to fall.

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Bobby was close to Lawrence and he prayed he could get there before Caleb did something extremely stupid, if he hadn't already. Neither of them were Guardians and the thought of attempting to train Dean to become one was a daunting thought in itself, but with the threat that Dean could have a target on his back if he ever actually started the training was enough to have him driving all night with the conversation with Reilly echoing in his brain.

"_If Dean actually starts training, then the people who wanted me to watch him will move in and take care of the situation themselves."_

The whole situation stunk, but he couldn't do anything about it until he got there and spoke to Caleb to find out what the hell was going on. If he was right then he'd have to kick the younger man's ass, but if he was wrong then they'd be able to do damage control and keep things from escalating.

Rubbing his face with his hand, Bobby was happy to see the Winchester property come into view. By the time he pulled up in front of the house he was ready for a strong cup of coffee and wide smile from a certain little boy. Thinking of Sam always gave him mixed feelings of regret and warmth. He wished that he and the others had been able to protect him better, but now he was just glad that the boy was happy and had a good family to watch over him.

As he got out of the truck however, he noticed Caleb and Dean walking around the house and knew that he was too late. "Damn it Caleb, what have you done?"

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AN: Why do I have a feeling I better up with the next chapter? See you soon??


	13. Chapter 13

AN: See... that didn't take too long, did it? Hopefully you all like it, don't forget to let me know!

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Caleb had wondered when Bobby would show up, after all everything was going a little too smoothly. The day before, Missouri had helped him convince Ryan Vic to sidestep the story and let them know if anyone else was planning on picking it up which would give them enough time to come up with a game plan. Unfortunately, after coming back to the cottage he witnessed a tension in the Winchester family that he'd never seen before but when he asked about it, John had just said that the boys would have to work it out on their while. Now though after hearing about the game from Dean and seeing the teens face about his perceptions he knew that some days were better than others, which was just more proof as to why his old friend was there asking what he'd done.

"Hey Bobby, Dean and I were checking out some of the wildlife in woods, weren't we kid?" he asked casually, pleased when the boy agreed wholeheartedly and even tossed in a few things that they'd seen on the way back.

Bobby wasn't buying it. If anyone was the nature nut in the household it was Sam and since the kid wasn't out there he knew what the only other conclusion was. "We need to talk." He said brusquely before turning his attention to Dean, "Your parents too."

As they walked inside, Dean knew that something was going on and he needed to be prepared for whatever it might be. Looking around he didn't see Sammy and briefly wondered if he was outside with Puppy. He had thought it strange that his little brother had left the small dog in it's play yard, but then again after what happened at the game Dean wasn't sure he wanted to analyze anything too closely at the moment.

John, Mary and Izzy were sitting at the table enjoying some coffee when the others joined them at the table. Bobby didn't want to disturb such a calm mood, but there was something serious happening and they all needed to know what it was. "I got a visit yesterday from a friend of yours, Reilly Peterson. Apparently he hadn't exactly left town for a vacation, he was trying to find out who wants to keep Dean from becoming a Guardian, and how we can keep them from coming after him." When he saw that he had their undivided attention he continued. "These people have been watching all of you since Dean was found, Reilly was one of them until he realized they didn't have a charitable reason for doing so. From what he has gathered, they'll leave him alone as long as he doesn't start his training. He says he knows someone on the inside but she's scared to talk about it; that's not stopping him from going back and trying some more. I just have to ask, have you started it, or am I just a paranoid old fool who better start thinking about retiring soon?"

John looked at Caleb for a moment before looking over at Dean. They knew that Dean being a Guardian was going to be dangerous for him, but they all had hoped that whoever it was who had wanted to rid the world of the group of protectors who overlook him if for no other reason than for the fact that he was still a kid. Now though it looked like they were wrong. Sighing he was about to tell Bobby the truth when Dean suddenly asked a question that threw them all off guard.

"Hey, where's Sammy?" Dean asked, truly wondering why he hadn't seen the curly top yet.

Mary looked a Dean for a moment before answering, "He's still in bed. I thought that if he could get some extra sleep then maybe we wouldn't have a repeat performance of last night."

Puzzled, Bobby looked around the table to the somber faces and finally asked what had happened. Once they told him about the incident involving the basketball game and the insistence that he hadn't done it, he looked at all of them carefully and stated disbelievingly, "And you didn't believe him."

Everyone at the table looked at Bobby strangely before insisting that it wasn't that they didn't want to, it was just that with everything that had happened, how were they supposed to believe that it wasn't his abilities that went haywire.

"Well, I'd start by thinking of one time that that boy has lied to you about anything for starters, then I'd start to think about how many other people in the world there are out there who could move things around, or even bring up a gust of wind. After that I'd probably start wondering where those people who have had such an interest in the boy for their own gain were and start asking if there would be any possible benefit for you to think that he didn't have control of himself; say… I don't know… that he'd be better off someplace else." Bobby said sternly, wondering just what had gotten into these people that they suddenly saw the boy as the enemy instead of the kid they adored.

Dean listened to Bobby and felt as if someone had kicked him in the stomach. Even when he thought Dean would get mad, Sammy always told the truth when asked about anything freaky. Bobby was right, he'd never lied about it before, there would be no reason for him to lie now; but there were people who had tried to make Sammy look unstable before, people who admittedly already have people like his little brother doing things 'for the greater good.' Looking at his parents, Dean suddenly understood just how much his attitude had affected them, to the point that they too had doubted his little brother. Rushing away from the table, he didn't slow down until he was up in the loft and looking at Sammy's bed.

Curled up under the blankets was a lump that was just so Sammy. Dean knew that his little brother would curl up and try to hide under the covers as if nothing could find him there. Reaching over, he ran his hand through Sammy's curls while whispering to him, but was surprised when he didn't get any sort of response. Pulling the blankets down a little, he saw the dark smudges under the little boy's eyes as if he hadn't slept all night. Worried, he started to call out, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey kiddo, I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Dean spun around in shock when he heard the voice, but when he actually saw the form of Derrick standing there, Dean wasn't sure what to think or do. He watched as he saw what looked to be his older brother go and sit on the bed next to Sammy and tuck the little boy in once again. "Derrick?" Dean croaked out wondering how this was possible. He remembered his brother helping them get out of their last house, but thought he was gone; seeing him once again like this made him worried all over again.

"Relax dude, I'm here for Sammy, he had a rough night." Derrick said quietly as he looked at Dean. Seeing the question on the other boy's face he smiled slightly. "Growing up is painful Dean, in more ways than one. You just happened to pick the same night that Sammy's growing pains were physical, to lay on some mental ones right on top of them."

"What? Derrick, what are you talking about? I didn't hurt Sammy!" Dean insisted, trying hard to ignore the fact that he most likely actually had broken his brother's heart.

Derrick shook his head before whispering something to the small boy on the bed. After running his fingers through Sammy's hair and making sure the little boy was still asleep he stood and looked back at Dean. "He didn't want you mad at him anymore so he was awake all night with his legs hurting so bad he was crying. You and our parents not believing him made it a lot worse; he didn't want to be a burden… sound familiar?"

"Ah Sammy, damnit!" Dean said feeling as if he had actually failed his little brother. "How long have you been here?" he asked Derrick, wondering if it was just a once in awhile occurrence or if he was always watching.

"Dean, quit worrying so much. I'm only here when I need to be, for some reason it's usually when little Sammy here is having trouble adjusting to something. Funny really, Crocell brought the dog around, but I've been wondering if Hariel's the one that lets me pop in and out." Derrick said amused that there were beings on both side of the spectrum trying hard to keep this one little boy safe while there were so many others out there trying to destroy him. "I have to go for awhile, but you need to remember that you _are_ his Guardian and that means you have to watch out for each other, but don't hide from what you are; they'll win if you do."

Dean wanted to talk to his brother some more, there was so much he wanted to ask about, but it was too late; he was gone. Pulling his thoughts away from the brother he lost, he sat down next to the brother he still had and hoped that Sammy would give him another chance. Looking closely he could see the tear stains on the boy's cheeks and he felt horrible that he hadn't allowed himself to open up for his brother when he needed him. Reaching over he lightly shook the boy while whispering words of encouragement to him. It took several minutes, but he was finally rewarded with large hazel eyes looking up at him.

"Dean… wha' wrong?" Sam asked sleepily. He knew he had finally gone to sleep, but he didn't know for how long and he still felt tired.

"Hey kiddo, you're about to sleep the day away sleepyhead." Dean joked before becoming serious once more. "Do you still hurt anywhere?" he asked, hoping that whatever it was was actually gone.

Sam looked up at Dean for a moment before he nodded, not wanting to bother his brother anymore. When he saw Dean look at him for more of an explanation he sighed, "My legs still hurt, but not as bad as last night, and my arms ache a little." He whispered while turning away, suddenly feeling worse for admitting it out loud.

Thinking about what Derrick had told him, Dean nodded before giving Sammy an encouraging smile. "Its ok buddy, I'm going to ask Mom for some Tylenol for you."

When Dean reached the kitchen he looked at Bobby and asked, "So, how do we figure out who dunked that basket and what they really want?" Seeing Bobby think about the question, he turned his attention to his Mom, "Sammy was up all night with his legs hurting, I'm going to give him some Tylenol but do you think we should call Damien?"

Mary looked at John before turning back to Dean and watched as their son went into the bathroom to get the Children's Tylenol from the medicine cabinet. Everyone watched as Dean headed back towards the loft, and when he was out of sight the conversation continued.

"So how do we keep what he's already learned a secret?" Izzy asked calmly. She didn't like keeping either boy in the dark, but there was a time and place for everything, and Dean's training could actually work in their favor when the need arose. She knew that Sam was getting stronger in his abilities, which meant more people would start snooping around giving Dean a run for his money she was sure. She only hoped for both boys' sakes that whatever they learned would be enough to protect them from the evil that was starting to once again encroach upon them.

Bobby smirked when he answered Izzy's question. "Well first of all, we need Dean to control that temper of his."

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"Have the preparations been made?"

"Yes sir, as per your orders. The boy will be taken at the next viable opportunity and his assessment will begin. As soon as we have the results I will personally bring them to you for your scrutiny."

"Very good Donald. I must ask though, what do you think of this Dean Winchester? Do you think that he could be a benefit in controlling young Samuel?"

"Sir, I can only guess from what has occurred in the past, but yes. I believe that once we have Dean in custody and realigned to our way of thinking, then Samuel will be very close behind.

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AN: Psych!! You all thought I was going to do something really horrible to little sammy didn't you... shame on you... that's for next chapter! ;) jk JK!!


	14. Chapter 14

AN: I hope you all enjoy this chapter... thanks for all of your support so far!

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The Other Realm was for all intents a purposes a very successful publishing house that took on a variety of authors, covering a variety of topics. The Chairman had been in his position for almost fifty years, the same amount of time The Other Realm had made its presence known in the literary world. Most people would buy their books and not think about what occurred behind closed doors, while others wondered about the large company that existed but strangely enough didn't seem to advertise its existence. If those who had thought they were socially conscientious ever actually found out the true basis of the company, they most likely would never darken their doorsteps again. As it was however, the Chairman was very particular of whom they did business with outside of their group so any and all secrets were very well guarded.

The Chairman had started the company as a means to an end. The group that his family had long ties to had needed to come forward into the twentieth century if it were to survive, but you couldn't have a bunch of people rambling about the evils of the world without arising some suspicions. So, instead of going a more direct route of spreading their word, they started to infiltrate people's minds through more conventional means, mainly mainstream media. It had been a risk, but nothing worth while ever came easily. The benefits however far surpassed what was expected, giving the group not only the funds they so desperately desired, but a means to move stealthily through society to gather information on others they would later deem either an asset or liability to the human race.

Today, the Chairman put in place a move that was risky, but would have the greatest payoff yet. The capture of one unknown Guardian to bring in the greatest find to date was something that he had thought long and hard about. After all, the boy would have to choose what he wanted to do; conform to them or die. The other however had already proven to be a much more interesting case. After much deliberating over the information they had gathered the last time they had Samuel with them, as well as the suspicions of who or what helped him escape the last time, he made the decision to step up the efforts to bring this abomination to man in. If neither boy met up to their expectations, then both would die and the world would once again not know how close it really came to utter devastation. After all, most people still did not believe what they read in their books so did not understand that anyone helping out those such as Samuel was just as much to blame for the world's woe's as those they gave aid to.

The question had been raised of what to do with the children's parents. After all, they were aiding not only one with unforeseen power, but also a potential Guardian; neither appropriate to have in the company of the general populous. However, with the Winchester background of taking in whatever strays came along, it was quickly concluded that they would be allowed to live as neither could have known ahead of time what they were welcoming into their home. Oh, there would be a fight he was sure, but in time they would realize that they had been saved from themselves and their overwhelming need to help those less fortunate. Of course that didn't mean that if they persisted in shielding the children, that they would be granted continued leniency; after all, even he had a limit to his graciousness.

By nightfall, the plan would be enacted and they would be one step closer to bringing an end to this whole troublesome affair. He hadn't forgotten the devastation that had occurred at their assimilation facility in the Andes, and he welcomed the chance to make a certain little someone pay for that sign of rebellion. However, he also knew that he had to move carefully, after all a deal was still on the table and it was one that he was very anxious to see through.

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Dean felt awful. He had taken the responsibility to watch over his little brother and he had almost thrown it away. As he sat on the bed and watched Sammy sleep, he couldn't help but wonder why he had been so willing to believe that he had lied to him. Letting out a deep breath, he ran a hand through the dark curls and continued to watch the even breathing of his little brother and was thankful that he got another chance to show Sammy that he trusted him; although now he could only hope that is was his little brother who trusted _him_.

"Dean?" Sam asked sleepily. His legs and arms still ached, but it was duller now and he was actually having a good dream. "Did you win?"

A choked laugh escaped before Dean could muffle it. Leave it to Sammy to be more worried about something he wanted than what was going on with himself. "Yeah buddy, we won, don't you remember?"

"mmhmm" came the barely audible response, leaving Dean to wonder just how wiped out his little brother really was.

Looking over at the clock, Dean saw that it would be lunchtime soon and with Sammy already missing breakfast, he needed to get his brother up and around. "Sammy, we need to get up or we'll miss lunch and Mom will be worried." Dean said softly, hoping to coax his brother into wakefulness. Seeing that wasn't going to work, he decided more drastic means were necessary and proceeded to tickle him softly in the ribs causing Sammy to bolt upright with a squeal.

_"Dean!"_ Sam whined, wondering why his brother was being so mean.

"Sorry little brother, but you slept through breakfast and if you want to keep growing, not to mention help Dad with the shop, you need to get up and eat lunch."

Puzzled, Sam looked around and saw the sun was shining into the house and that meant he was late getting up. Suddenly another thought hit him and he felt awful about what he'd done.

"_William?"_ he thought tentatively. He didn't want to know how badly he'd messed up, but he also wanted to know if he could fix it.

"_Yes Sam, I'm here. How are you feeling today?"_ came the whisper into his mind, giving Sam a sense of relief that he didn't know he was missing.

"_I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"_

"_Sam, it's ok. You had a rough day, and tougher night, I don't blame you for what you did."_

Sam knew his brother was watching him closely, but after what happened yesterday, he didn't want to go around showing everyone again how different he really was. Trying to ignore Dean, he got dressed while still trying to have a conversation with his puppy.

"_But I left you outside in the cold all night, and now it's…"_

"_Stop Sam, you made sure I had a warm blanket and even a pillow. I hate to admit this, but I was actually comfortable out here."_

That made Sam start to laugh, sending Dean into a panic that maybe he had damaged his brother more than he thought. "Uh Sammy? Hey little brother, are you ok?" Dean asked, trying to decide the best way to get his brother some help.

"I'm fine Dean, I was just checking on Puppy and…" Sam said before he suddenly stopped and with wide eyes covered his mouth as if he'd just let out a big secret.

Dean looked at his brother puzzled by the reaction, "and what Sammy? Did he say something funny? Come on, you can tell me!"

Shaking his head, Sam finished getting dressed and carefully made his way downstairs leaving a very troubled big brother behind.

"Great, just how badly did I screw up?" Dean asked himself before following Sam downstairs and into the kitchen.

Mary watched her little boy quickly walk through the kitchen and out the back door. Puzzled, she looked at Dean in hopes that he knew what was going on, but saw in her son's eyes that he hadn't a clue.

Dean rushed through the door only to stop suddenly at the sight that greeted him. His little brother was crying in the fur of the puppy that he was holding so closely. The words he heard his Sammy say broke his heart and made him understand that his doubts might have made him lose something very important; his little brother's trust.

"They don't like me anymore Puppy, they didn't believe me."

Puppy's whimpers were soft as the small dog tried it's best to lick the tears away from the little boy, but that only seemed to make Sammy cry harder.

Not able to stand it any longer, Dean walked quickly to the puppy yard and grabbed Sammy in a tight hug while whispering, "I'm so sorry Sammy, I believe you, I really do."

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John was thankful that it was a Saturday, mostly because he didn't have to deal with the people in the permit office. Today was going to be a day that he could enjoy even if it was cold a cloudy, at least he had his family home and that counted for a lot anymore. He looked over and saw both Caleb and Bobby looking over the area and saw they both were discussing something that could either be as complex as one of those banishing rituals he read about, or as simple as the slow progress he was making on the shop.

He knew that Bobby thought he wasn't taking hunting seriously, but he was sure that if the older man knew how many nights he had been up pouring over the old books that he'd found, then even he would be impressed. The trouble was he had the family to worry about and didn't feel comfortable in leaving them for any length of time while off banishing anything from a ghost to dealing with some creature that up until six months ago he would have checked off as myth. Mary knew that he was looking into different things, but not to the extent that he had. His biggest surprise in researching the paranormal was the fact that he could ask his Sammy questions and although the boy might not have the answers, always seemed to point him to another area that he could search; it was as if his little boy was a decoder ring for his very own treasure map.

"So, mind telling us what's really been going on that you haven't been able to knock some sense into some pencil pusher?" Bobby asked, curious that there hadn't been any progress in the project.

Smirking, John should have known that question was coming and nodded at the man's assessment. "Well, it seems that according to the county, Sammy owns all of this, not just the piece attached to the cottage and woods. I've been all over the place trying to get it straightened out, but it's like they don't have a clue how he could be on the deed as owner if it was me who paid for it. So that opens up a whole other set of issues that would take too much time to explain fully except to say, the only way I can legally build the shop on this land is to make Sammy my partner."

Bobby and Caleb looked at each other, then at John before echoing a resounding, "Huh!"

Standing there watching the hunters become speechless was a moment that he wanted to cherish for another moment or so, but then thought that was petty so settled for replying. "Yeah, that's what I thought too. The main snag is that everything is tied up in Trust for him, and although Mary and I do have the right as his parents to handle the affairs, apparently the courts frown on parents profiting from their children. So, I can put him on the company roster as partner and declare it as an investment for him until we get it completely straightened out, or keep butting heads with the bureaucrats until everything's straightened out and then try to find someone to come in and build."

Again the hunters looked at each other before looking at him. Finally it was Caleb that asked the question that seemed to need to be asked. "So, do you have a problem making him a partner?"

John laughed a moment, and knew that the others thought him insensitive, but he couldn't help himself. "Nope, in fact, I already had the papers drawn up and it should be delivered today. The reason why nothing's happening is because I haven't asked Sammy yet if he wanted to be involved in the shop. I know that Dean does, that's not even a question; but Sammy… he might not want to and I don't want him to feel obligated to just because I'm asking."

The hunters wondered about the answer, and sensed that there was more to the story. Looking at the man before them, they suddenly understood that there was definitely more to John Winchester than what a lot of people thought.

"Look, he's already tried to give us everything he has and was happy to do so. I don't want to start taking advantage of him like that; he's going to need to know that we love him for him… not for what he can give us. If he wants to be a true partner in the shop, then fine, if not that's fine too. I just want to give him a chance to do something of his choosing, not that someone else has chosen for him." John said as he looked over the property. "He needs to know we love him no matter what."


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Hey everyone... I have to apologize upfront. Apparantly being sleep deprived makes me ramble and apparantly it bled over to my writing. Hopefully it's ok, but if not, please remember there's always next chapter to make up for it... uh... right?

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Dean watched his little brother pick at his lunch and knew that it was his fault, somehow he wasn't able to get through to Sammy; and it hurt. He knew that if it had been yesterday, then everything would have been fine, but now he had no idea how to fix things. He saw that his dad was looking at him as if he should have an answer, but how do you explain that the reason why all your hard work came tumbling down is because of one instance of misguided disappointment. His mom was worried, everyone could see that, but he was sure she had a feeling what was going on and that didn't make him feel any better.

"May I be excused?" Sam asked, not hungry at all and feeling very out of place at the table.

John and Mary looked at each other with concern, but couldn't find a reason to make their little boy stay. Nodding, they both watched as he put his plate by the sink then hurry outside. They saw Dean look so lost that their hearts went out to him, but also knew that they needed to let him sort this out on his own. Unfortunately they both felt like they should be able to do more for their boys.

Looking around the table Dean saw the curious expressions on Bobby and Caleb's faces, as well as the concern on Izzy's. Now that he thought about it, Izzy hadn't been looking as happy as she normally did and he was starting to get concerned that she was getting sick. "Izzy, are you ok?" he asked, truly hoping that he was just imaging things.

Smiling wanly, Izzy took a sip of tea before she answered. "It's very kind of you to ask Dean, but actually I'm not as young as I used to be and with the cooler damper weather I'm not feeling as energetic as I normally do."

Although this answer seemed to be enough for the others, Dean was still concerned about something but it took him another moment to figure out what it was. "You're heading back to California aren't you?" he asked, concern not just for her but his little brother adding a terseness to his voice that he normally wouldn't allow when speaking to her.

"I'm afraid so Dean. Pretty soon I will barely be able to walk around and would be no help whatsoever. I'm used to the winters in Monterey; still damp and chilly, but it doesn't weigh on my bones as Kansas winters seem to."

Dean leaned back in his chair and thought about that for a moment and was just about to say something when he suddenly jumped up from the table and rushed out the back door, leaving the rest to stare after him before joining him. They all were concerned by the look of sheer panic on Dean's face and what that could actually mean.

When they reached outside their concern grew as they saw Sammy sitting in the puppy yard playing fetch with his puppy just like any other normal eight year old would do. Looking at each other they wondered at what they saw and if they should be worried. When Dean spoke it only confirmed their fears but they had no idea what to do about it.

"I think Sammy turned himself off." Dean said sadly. "I think we broke him."

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It had been over three hours since the discovery of Sammy tuning out that special part of him that made him their Sammy and not someone else's. Three hours where they watched their little boy go through the motions of everyday life without any of the feeling that he always seemed to infuse. Way too long since any of them had heard him giggle, whisper conspiratorially to the dog, or even crack a smile. They knew something had to be done and fast otherwise who knew what could happen. Izzy had already expressed concern about what binding his abilities could do to him, and no one wanted to contemplate what could happen with this latest development.

"Hey kiddo, how about you and me go into town for some ice cream?" Caleb asked, sure that it would get Sammy's attention.

Sam looked up from the puzzle he was working on and shook his head. "No thank you." He said blankly, not showing anything that was going on inside of him, and then just as quickly went back to his puzzle as if he hadn't said or done anything disturbing.

Dean was ready to throw something, this wasn't his little brother, this was some sort of imposter and he didn't like the idea at all. "Sammy, how about you and I go outside and see if we can see the neighbor's horse?" he asked, knowing that _his_ Sammy would be all over the idea of traipsing through the woods in order to find Buddy, Mrs. Sorenson's colt. When his little brother shook his head, not even bothering to look up at him; that was all he needed to know that something was seriously wrong.

Mary knew that Dean was about to blow a gasket but they needed to keep calm about this otherwise they risked sending Sammy deeper into himself and that was the one thing none of them wanted. "Sammy baby, can you help me with a few things?" she asked, hoping that getting her little boy doing something a little more 'abnormal' would get him back to normal. Seeing her boy nod and get up off the floor she sent a subtle warning to the rest of the group that they had better stay put.

As the others watched, Sam followed his Mommy into the kitchen and waited patiently. Finally she smiled at him and motioned for him to get real close. Doing so made him wonder even more what they were going to do, after all, secrets were usually something extra special.

"Sammy, I need some help making some special cookies for everyone, but it has to be a surprise, ok?" she asked, watching him carefully for any sign of nervousness. What she found though was a reflection of her little boy, ever curious about what was going to happen next. "Good, now let's gather everything up and we can start mixing it." She watched Sammy carried the items she asked for from the fridge and set them down carefully before looking back at her expectantly. Pretending to consult her cookbook, she absently motioned up to a top shelf and asked, "Sammy, could you get that big bowl down for me?"

Trying hard not to watch, Mary forced herself to continue to peruse the book in front of her and was taken by complete surprise when she heard a slight squeak of fear coming from behind her right before the sound of something heavy hitting the floor at the same time the bowl shattered into a multitude of pieces. Horrified, Mary turned around just as John and the others rushed in to find Sammy sprawled on his back looking dazedly up at the ceiling.

"What the hell?" John bellowed, fear evident in every part of his being. However, his fear made his voice sound even darker which had a very undesirable effect; he terrified his little boy.

Sam knew that he'd mess up; he just thought it would take longer. Now his Daddy was mad at him and he didn't know what to do. "I'm sorry Daddy, I didn't mean to." He cried out as he tried to scramble off the floor, trying to ignore the stinging in his hands as they got cut by the glass splinters.

Dean took only a moment before he reacted and rushed to his little brother's side. What he saw broke his heart; Sammy was hurt, bleeding and terrified. "Hey Sammy, you ok? Let me see your hands." He said softly as he grabbed his brother's tiny hands in his. Although Sammy didn't pull away, he could tell that he wasn't too thrilled with what was going on either. "So, what happened? Did you knock something over?"

Shaking his head, Sam continued to look at the floor as he tried to tell Dean what happened, "MommywantedtomakespecialcookiesandaskedmetohelpandthenshewantedmetogetthebowlofftheshelfbutIslippedandfelloffandnowMommyandDaddyaremadcauseIbrokethebowl."

Pausing in his administrations, Dean looked up at his Mom in puzzlement and saw she was just as shaken as Sammy. Something obviously was supposed to happen and didn't, now they had a crying bleeding Sammy on the kitchen floor and apparently no one had been able to decipher what his brother had said. Sighing, he looked back at Sammy, "Ok, I have no idea what you just said, but I have a feeling that something didn't go as planned, am I right?" he asked and was pleased when Sammy nodded. "Ok, so now we just have to figure out how it won't happen again. You know when we said that you needed to practice this was what we were trying to prevent and …"

The look on Sam's face should have been a warning to Dean and the others, but instead they were still shocked when he finally made it to his feet and declared, "I didn't! You don't want me to and I'm not! Never ever ever again!" Not even looking at the others, Sam ran out the back door leaving the rest of his family and friends to stare after him before Izzy's voice broke through.

"Oh my! He tried to climb up the shelves to get the bowl and fell!"

That was all Dean and John needed to hear and were already out the door after Sammy, before Mary and the others could wrap their heads around what Izzy and Sammy himself had just revealed; the little boy was determined to be normal.

Stunned, Mary looked at the cabinet, then the floor and groaned. "I was sure he'd float it down if he thought no one was watching."

Izzy tried to console the younger woman, but with little success. It wasn't long before both Bobby and Caleb decided that the best way to fix this mess was to find Sam, and that meant tracking the kid down. Motioning to Izzy what they were going to do, they took off out of the house to try and find a certain little boy who was way too special to be wandering around by himself.

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John was worried and he didn't mind letting it show. His little boy somehow got it in his head that they wanted him to be some sort of model child that would bore them to death in mere moments, and now seemed to be racing through the woods as if all the demons in hell were chasing after him. 'How could we not see this coming?' he thought with disgust. They all knew how Sammy got when he was upset and if his family having any doubt at all in him didn't upset the boy then he couldn't think of anything else that would. Keeping his eyes focused on anything that seemed to be out of place, he was content to know that his youngest boy was at least staying on his feet, which was amazing in itself considering how clutzy he had been lately.

As he and his dad raced through the forest trying to gain on his little brother Dean was still amazed at the speed Sammy could go. 'How can such a little guy run so fast?' he wondered not for the first time. They were almost to the edge of the woods and he knew that if they didn't find him soon, they could possibly lose Sammy's trail if he doubled back or even decided to jump the back fence and continue across one of the neighbor's fields. Suddenly he had to stop when he noticed something moving out of the corner of his eye; a flash of blue that looked suspiciously like Sammy's shirt.

"Dad, look over there!" Dean whispered, hoping to keep their presence a secret for a moment. Seeing that his dad saw it too, they quietly made their way closer to the youngest member of their family until they were close enough to touch him.

John knew that Sammy was asleep, and for some reason that thought scared him. His little boy was always an upbeat child and it took quite a bit to make him this upset. The thought that they had done that to him was enough to make John wish he could go back and change the night before; anything to make his boy smile again.

"Dad, what if he won't listen?" Dean asked, not sure why, but getting a strange thought that something else was going on with his little brother.

Shaking his head, John wasn't sure what they would do if they really had lost Sammy's trust. It definitely would be a testament to how royally they screwed up though. He quickly prayed that it hadn't gotten that far, that they could still salvage their relationship. Squatting down, he put his hand on Sammy's shoulder and called out to him quietly, hoping to wake his boy with scaring him.

Sam heard someone talking to him, but he was too tired to care. His family wanted him to be just like other little boys but when he tried then they got mad at him about that too. He really didn't understand why they were mad; he just wished he could disappear.

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Bobby and Caleb had decided to stay on the outskirts of the treeline in case Sam decided to stay out in the open; after all, this was his home and he shouldn't have to hide on it. They hadn't gotten too far before they noticed something strange, but they got all the confirmation they needed when they both noticed the shoe print. Taking a chance, they veered off to track where the person had actually come from and wasn't disappointed when they came across the back side of the property and noticed a few of the protection wards had been subtly tampered with. Upon closer inspection they saw that whoever had been there had been there for awhile just watching the family; and that didn't sit well with either hunter.

From what they overheard, Dean and Sam liked to come to that section of the property to look at one of the horses nearby. If that was the case then the boys could have been taken at any time without anyone knowing. That prospect sent chills down both men's spines and strengthened their resolve to make the boys as safe as possible.

As they were discussing what to do next they noticed John walk out of the woods with what looked to be a sleeping little boy in his arms and a very determined teenager in his wake. Bobby looked at Caleb knowingly and finally nodded. "Alright, so you've already started his training. We need to make sure this doesn't leak out otherwise they'll never get a moment's peace."

Caleb agreed wholeheartedly. He knew how much things tended to weigh on Sam, and he also knew that the Winchester's took their roles very seriously. Now they just needed to find a way to get everything back normal, which lead to another question.

"Hey Bobby, have you ever heard of someone turning themselves off like Sam has?"

Taking a deep breath, Bobby watched the Winchester's take Sam up to the cottage and really wished he hadn't been asked that question; because he had the answer, it just wasn't what Caleb wanted to hear. Knowing the other hunter wasn't going to let him stall for long, he finally nodded. "Yeah, I've heard of it; it's rare, but it's happened." Bobby said gruffly, "It's not a happy ending if that's what you're really asking."

Noting how Bobby wouldn't look at him, Caleb knew that the other man was weighing his options and it didn't look good. Getting tired of beating around the bush he finally spoke, leaving no room for negotiations. "Well, I guess we better find a way for Sam to flip the switch back, don't you?"


	16. Chapter 16

AN: Sorry for the wait... I'll try to get back on my more frequent updating schedule. hope you enjoy... see you soon!

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Dean hated watching his little brother's legs swing limply in their dad's arms, it meant that Sammy was unconscious and that scared him, even more so than when he saw him lying on the kitchen floor. He didn't like the idea of not knowing what was going on in his brother's head either, but that was his fault and he would do his best to correct that as soon as he saw those brown eyes again.

Rushing across the field, John tried to pretend that Sammy was awake and they were just playing a silly game but it wasn't working, his mind knew the truth; his little boy was hurt and he was to blame. He couldn't help but wonder how different things would be right now if he had just taken a moment and listened to why his boy was so sure he hadn't lost control, instead of making the assumption that he didn't want to get into trouble or wasn't really sure.

Seeing the cottage up ahead, both John and Dean hurried along determined to get Sammy back inside where it was warm and safe; both promising to do whatever it took to make sure the youngest of their family felt secure again.

Bobby and Caleb followed the Winchester's back to the house while looking for any other signs of who could have been watching the boys. When they reached the cottage they watched the family hurry inside and waited only a moment before they separated to find out if the intruders had made it any closer to Sam and Dean than what they thought. Both knew the consequences if they missed any signs; and neither were willing to take that chance.

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Mary had to keep telling Izzy to sit down while she cleaned up the broken bowl and even then the older woman was insistent to help. Although it was nice to know that Izzy loved Sammy as much as they did, Mary really needed to do something productive otherwise she'd lose her mind worrying about her little boy out there alone. She had no doubt that John and Dean would find Sammy, the question was what shape would he be in when they did. She'd been trying to ignore the blood on the floor as she cleaned up, but knew that not only had his little hands gotten cut, but she suspected his head did as well.

"Sam will be fine Mary, you'll see." Izzy said softly, praying that she wasn't offering false hope. As she watched however she understood that something was weighing heavily on the young woman's mind.

"Izzy, do you think Sammy's happy here?" Mary asked as she finished sweeping up the glass splinters. "I mean, if he was happy, then would he have really believed that we wanted him to be something other than what he is?"

Smiling, Izzy understood the problem and where it was coming from. "I can assure you, that Sam is very happy. This is just a temporary setback, one that will work itself out soon."

Although she wasn't sure she agreed Mary had to admit that her little boy had seemed to be happier lately than he had ever been. The problems only arose when the questions about his abilities came into view. Nodding, she was about to comment about Izzy's observation when she heard the door open.

"Mary, call Damon!" John called out as hey entered the house and laid Sammy on the couch before covering him with a small blanket. "Dean, can you build up the fire a little more, I want to keep him as warm as possible."

Dean was already heading towards the fireplace when his dad asked; there was no way any of them were going to risk Sammy's health. Although he still didn't know how they were going to make it up to his little brother, he was already going through ideas to make him listen at least for a minute. He knew their main concern though was to get Sammy to wake up, but it looked like it was going to be a more difficult task than initially thought. Suddenly though he felt a whisper across his thoughts, it was only a moment and he probably would have missed it if it hadn't been for the fact that he was hoping for something, anything, to show him his brother was still with him. That slight touch was enough for him to rush towards the couch and start whispering in Sammy's ear about all the things they still needed to do and to hurry back, they missed him.

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Sam was upset and he didn't know where he was going, he just needed to go. He had always wondered how long it would take before he messed up so bad that no one would like him anymore, now he knew. Everyone was upset and he didn't know how to fix it, this wasn't something that a 'sorry' could fix. Now though as he ran through the woods he worried that maybe he shouldn't have left. It was a selfish thought, he knew, but his head hurt and he didn't feel well at all.

Sitting against a tree, Sam allowed himself to think about what he'd done and if maybe he bought his mommy another bowl then maybe she wouldn't be upset with him anymore. 'Maybe Mr. Goodwin has a nice bowl in his store.' He thought to himself, hoping that one of his pretty beads would be enough to pay for it. 'Maybe then she'll love me again.'

The thought of his whole family still being upset with him made him feel worse and he had just lain down against the tree trunk when he noticed his eyelids feeling heavy. Letting his body relax, he was content to float along in his own thoughts where nothing seemed to hurt and no one was angry or upset. He wondered if there was a way that he could stay there forever, so he would never hurt anyone again.

"Hello Sam would you like to come and play with me?" asked a little boy behind him.

Turning around in his dream Sam wondered who the boy was and what he wanted but didn't want to seem rude. "Uh, I don't know you." He said quietly, not understanding why someone he didn't know was talking to him in a dream that he didn't remember having in the first place.

The boy smiled and laughed, "I'm Todd, Sam! Now, come play with me!"

Sam wasn't sure what it was about the little boy, but he was pretty sure he didn't like him. Shaking his head, he was just about to run off when the boy spoke again scaring Sam in the process.

"Sam, we will play. They'll make sure we get to play together; and your brother too. Come with me now, don't make me have to come and get you."

Terrified not by what the boy said, but the feelings behind it, Sam froze not able to move and stared. The boy started to change into a man with brown hair, blue eyes, and a cold smile.

"Sam, you know you belong with us. You'll just continue to hurt the people around you. Come with us and no one will get hurt, we'll make sure of it. Don't make us come to get you."

Preparing to scream, Sam was surprised to see the man suddenly vanish and the feeling of being safe again enveloped him completely. He knew he was still dreaming, but he was sure he smelled his daddy and that made him happy. Giving into the moment, he relaxed into the feeling and enjoyed it until suddenly it wasn't as strong. Worried, he tried to open his eyes but they were too heavy. Not wanting to be alone with the strange man in his dream, Sam reached out to see if there was anyone close. When he gently came across a very familiar person, he sighed contently and fell asleep knowing his big brother was close by and watching over him.

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Dean continued to watch as Damon checked his little brother out to make sure that there was nothing seriously wrong. Although his parents were pacing back and forth, he'd calmed considerably since he felt Sammy's presence ghosting over his thoughts earlier. Although he knew his little brother was still hesitant about facing them, he no longer felt the need to hide and Dean was pretty sure was just resting.

"Well, I'd say he has a slight concussion, but otherwise is doing ok. I have a feeling that he hasn't woken up because he's not ready yet." Damon said as he started putting his stethoscope in his pocket. "I'd give it a little more time before starting to worry."

John looked at Mary before turning his attention back to the doctor and had to wonder how the man could be so damn calm. His little boy fell off a cabinet, cracked his head against the floor and if that wasn't enough went running headlong into the woods without a jacket in the middle of November, and now isn't waking up! Rubbing his hand over his face he realized that maybe he hadn't communicated the seriousness of the situation, or maybe the doctor wasn't as much of a friend as what they had initially believed. At this point he had no idea where to go from here, he either accepted what Damon said or he believed the man was completely clueless which meant he was of no use to them as Sammy's doctor.

"Daddy… stop!" Sam whined in his sleep before turning onto his side and burrowing into the blanket some more.

Shocked, both Mary and John watched as Dean cheered and sat on the couch next to his little brother stroking his hair. It was a gesture that they'd seen many times and knew that if anyone could made their little boy feel better it was Dean.

"Come on Sammy, it's time to wake up now." Dean said as he switched from running his fingers through his brother's curls to trying to find the tickle spot that normally worked in keeping Sammy giggling for hours. "Sammy… Sammy… come on…" he practically whined, wishing more than anything for his little brother to wake up.

All Sam really wanted to do was sleep. He was safe and warm and knew that everyone in the room missed him, but he just wanted to stay were he was a little longer. He couldn't make people mad if he slept, could he?


	17. Chapter 17

Caleb didn't like the feeling he was getting

Caleb didn't like the feeling he was getting. In fact, he was getting borderline jumpy with the thoughts that were running through his head. It was bad enough that someone was sneaking around the Winchester's place, but to have disturbed the wards and protection sigils the way they had only left him with one conclusion; whoever it was wanted to get to Sam one way or another.

Although he hadn't found any signs of someone getting closer than what they'd noticed earlier, he wasn't ready to relax his guard; the kid had been through too much already and more than likely wouldn't be able to take any more. Rubbing a hand across the back of his neck, Caleb was trying hard not to go out and shoot something just on principal alone. The problem was he really needed to let off some steam, but knew that going around shooting things would just upset Sam more than the kid already was. Deciding to meet up with Bobby, he was able to put all other thoughts aside and focus on what he was sure was coming; a battle for the very existence of a certain little boy who he'd give up everything for.

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Bobby knew things looked bad, but there was nothing they could do about it until they actually found out who was doing what. It was easy to point fingers, but that didn't do much good in a situation like this; they needed cold hard facts if they were going to be able to help the Winchester's.

He had to admit that John had done wonders for the boy, and knew that Dean had a big part in bringing Sam out of his shell as well, but he wasn't willing to sit back and say 'mission accomplished' just yet. There was still the fact that Sam was a powerhouse, and there were too many people and creatures out there that were drawn to that power like a moth to a flame.

Letting out a deep breath, Bobby tried to stay focused but couldn't seem to get past a pair of dark eyes looking at him so trustingly as if to say 'Please don't let them hurt me again, Uncle Bobby!'

Realizing he wasn't going to be able to get his own head out of his ass much less concentrate on finding whoever had been skulking around, he quickly decided it was time to meet up with Caleb and figure out what to check out next. If there was anything he hated, it was loose ends.

Seeing the younger hunter already making his way towards him, Bobby knew that he wasn't going to like what Caleb had to say, but also knew he wasn't much better in the information department. Nodding, he motioned back towards the cottage and hoped that they could come up with a plan before crossing the front door.

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Dean knew there were times that his little brother just didn't want to wake up and it looked like this was one of those times. No matter how much prodding he did, Sammy just couldn't seem to keep his eyes open for more than a moment or two before crashing back into whatever oblivion he was in.

Looking at his dad, Dean shrugged his shoulders then thought of something. "Hey dad, why don't you do whatever it was that you were doing that made Sammy tell you to stop?"

John was more than a little stunned, especially since he couldn't remember doing anything except watch Damon tend to Sammy and wonder which side the man was really on and if he could actually be trusted with someone as important as…

"Daddy… please _stop_!" Sam cried out, trying to bury his head further into the couch cushions but not able to get any further.

Knowing Dean was watching expectantly, John thought over what was going through his head at the time and wondered if somehow his boy had latched onto _him_ instead of Dean. Reaching over, he ran his large fingers through his tiny boy's hair and thought of all the fun things he liked to do with Sammy. Pretty soon, his little boy was stirring on the couch and John was about to let out a sigh of relief when Sammy surprised everyone in the room.

Jumping upright, Sam looked around terrified. He knew he shouldn't have used his powers, but he couldn't help it and that scared him. 'Maybe Daddy's right… maybe I did do that." He thought, wondering how he was going to keep it from happening again. Looking around he saw everyone watching him as if he were something odd and that didn't make him feel any better either, but it was when the door swung open suddenly allowing Bobby and Caleb to come in that Sam knew that something was really terribly wrong.

Bobby had no idea what was going on. One second he and Caleb were walking in the door, the next he had Sam attached to him like some sort of Velcro doll. "What the hell? Sam, what's going on, you know your family isn't going to hurt you, right?"

Nodding Sam agreed wholeheartedly, his family wouldn't hurt him, but he might hurt them. Looking up at the older hunter he motioned for Bobby to come down to his level before whispering. "Bobby, Todd will hurt them if I stay!"

Perplexed, Bobby looked at Caleb a moment before turning his confused attention back to the little boy who now had his neck in a chokehold. "Sam, who's Todd and how do you know that he's going to hurt anyone." He whispered, hoping to get through to the small child that he was safe.

Shaking his head Sam tried again. "I don't want Todd to hurt _them_! He said he will if I don't play with him, but I don't want to Bobby, he's mean and a liar!"

Mulling that bit of information in his head, Bobby took his cap off and tried to ease the tension he felt building in his scalp. Finally coming to a decision, Bobby nodded and put his cap back on. "Ok Sam, I get it. How about you and that pup of yours go upstairs for a bit, ok?"

Not understanding why he was being sent to his room, Sam looked around confused before nodding and making his way towards the ladder with Puppy close behind until Sam picked him up and carried him the rest of the way.

Everyone had watched the exchange with fascination, but there was nothing they could really do until someone filled the rest of them in; that person being Bobby. However as soon as he spoke, they suddenly wished he hadn't.

"We have a problem. It's big, nasty and it looks like it's latched onto that boy, and I'm not sure how to stop it."

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Derrick had been waiting patiently and knew what was happening downstairs, but when he saw Sammy he knew that the little guy was having some serious issues and was having trouble sorting them out. Waiting for the kid to get settled, he listened to what Bobby and had to admit that he was worried a bit too.

Settling next to Sammy, Derrick waited to see if the boy would say anything. When nothing was said, he watched the kid cuddle the puppy and Derrick could barely contain his amusement. This was the same animal that Sammy was so freaked out over before, and now the only thing that he can get comfort from. Sighing, he waited another minute and listened closely to the conversation below them, knowing that Bobby had a point and it wasn't a pretty one.

"Sammy, you need to tell them what you know buddy, otherwise they can't help."

Sam knew Derrick was there but that didn't make him feel any better about what was going on. He'd tried so hard not to do anything weird, but then he could feel how worried his daddy was about him and the next thing he knew he was hearing his daddy's thoughts making him feel like he really couldn't control his abilities just like everyone thought.

Sighing, Sam tried not to listen to what was going on, but he also knew that it had to do with him and the trouble that was coming. Looking at Derrick, Sam confessed, "Todd came to me in my dream and I don't want to leave but Mommy, Daddy and Dean will get hurt if I don't!"

Smiling sadly, Derrick had already known of the Reader's visit and it didn't set well with him. Unfortunately he didn't have any say so about it, so he had to stay as an observer… for now.

"Sammy, you really need to let them know what's going on. You can't keep the power locked up inside, it'll kill you. You need to be yourself, and believe me when I say Mom, Dad and Dean will always love you. Now get down there and tell them what happened!" Derrick urged, hoping that something would get through to the little boy at his side.

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"What's going on Bobby, what could be so bad that we can't stop it?" Dean asked, worried that his little brother was in bigger trouble than they thought.

Looking around the room, Bobby knew that everyone felt the same as Dean, but also knew they wouldn't like his answer. "Someone's messed with the wards and protection sigils, specifically the ones that would keep the Seer's and Reader's out of Sam's head. It means that they have someone specifically watching and waiting, and we don't have a damn clue about who or what we're dealing with and if we're going to be honest, I don't think we ever did."

Caleb was shocked at the older man's answer. He'd known Bobby for several years and he'd never heard him sound so defeated, it was just another way that they both felt they had let Sam down; if they didn't know the answer, how were they supposed to keep the kid safe?

"Ok, so how do we find out? Could we summon something and ask directly, or maybe one of you could scrye for the people involved." John mused aloud. When he saw the shocked looks on the other faces he questioned, "What? I read!"

Mary didn't know whether to be happy that her husband was broadening his horizons or worried that he actually knew that people could do what he was asking about. Shaking her head she waited for an answer but suddenly knew that something else had grabbed the hunters' attention. Looking at where their gazes had fallen, she immediately saw Sammy standing by the ladder with such a lost look on his face that she wanted just to snatch him up and never let him go.

"Sammy, what's wrong baby?" she asked, hoping that they would finally get a clue as to what was going on in her little boy's head.

When the phone rang a moment later, Mary was tempted to let it ring but knew that it could be the hospital for Damon. Looking over at her boys she knew right away that this wouldn't go over very well, but it couldn't be helped. After hanging up she looked at Dean. "That was Coach Sanders, they're calling a mandatory practice in half an hour to get ready for the tournament, this was the only time slot available before they started setting up for the bake sale tonight and tomorrow."

Dean didn't like it, he knew that he needed to go, but he wanted to be here for Sammy too which made this whole situation stink! Looking over at his little brother he wondered what was really going on in that brain, but also knew that they were close to getting their Sammy back; he'd felt it when Sammy heard their dad's thoughts. Now they just needed to make sure that Sammy felt safe and the rest would take care of itself, because right now Dean didn't think Sammy could sense trouble if it bit him on the butt.

Sam watched his brother rush around and get his things, and wondered if there was anything he could do to help, but thought better of asking. Right now everyone seemed a bit happier, and he hadn't used any of his powers, so he just knew he was making the right decision by not listening to Derrick…he just knew it!


	18. Chapter 18

AN: Hi everyone...sorry for the wait, I hope this makes up for it!

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Dean knew that something was going on with Sammy, it was obvious. Unfortunately he had no idea what to do about it since his little brother wasn't in the sharing sort of mood. Now though, as he was finishing up practice he knew that no matter what, he needed to find out what was going through Sammy's head before the kid got himself into even bigger trouble than he had.

The sound of the piercing whistle signaled the end of practice and everyone groaned in relief, Coach Sanders had made sure their time was well spent and they all felt it. "Alright boys, get changed! You did good and I'm sure we'll bring home a trophy this year, now get moving!" the Coach yelled, eagerly anticipating the tournament coming up.

Looking around, Dean noticed that his parents weren't waiting so he welcomed the idea of taking a shower before heading home, if for no other reason than to put his thoughts together with the relative peace and quiet of the boys' locker room. He knew that his friends would more than likely just change and head home giving him the solitude that he needed to figure out what he should do about his and Sammy's situation.

Under the hot spray he tried to reach out to his little brother, but nothing happened and he had to admit he missed the connection. Right now though, he felt a sense of loss, almost like a hole within himself that he didn't like, and would never admit to with fear of being compared to a girl. Realizing that it was probably later than what he thought, he finished his shower and quickly changed, putting the rest of his gear in his bag so it would make it into the laundry basket. Suddenly he sensed that he wasn't alone, and whatever it was that was close wasn't someone he was familiar with.

Grabbing his bag he quietly made his way towards the end of the lockers and peeked around the corner hoping to see who it was. Seeing nothing but a shadow against the far wall he understood his mistake; the only way out would be to cross that shadow which meant he'd have to go in front of the intruder. Edging himself back against the lockers he started when out of the corner of his eye he saw movement, then everything went black.

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Sam knew that Dean would be home soon and would tell him everything that happened during practice, it was something that his brother always did and something that he really enjoyed. As he looked at the clock, he wondered why his Mommy and Daddy were late coming back, after all they had been gone over an hour and it didn't take that long to get to Dean's school. Wondering what was taking so long he gathered Puppy up and went to look for his friends when he heard whispering in the kitchen.

"I don't know how we're going to tell him. Poor Sam's already been through so much, and now with Dean missing…"

Caleb knew that this was the last thing that Sam needed, but also knew that at the moment they had more important issues to deal with; mainly who had Dean and why.

"Don't worry Izzy, we'll figure this out. Why don't you stay here with Sam while me and Bobby head over and try to find some sign of what's going on." Caleb said calmly, belying his true feeling of panic. He knew that if it were the same people who had been snooping around the property then the possibilities of finding them would be difficult; not to mention the danger that Sam was in.

Izzy stood outside and watched the two men take off down the driveway towards the road and sent up a prayer that they found Dean soon, preferably before Sam found out what was going on. Returning inside she was thankful for the warmth of the fire and was just about to go to the kitchen for some tea and cookies when she noticed that is was extremely quiet in the cottage…a little too quiet.

"Oh my…Sam!"

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Sam knew that if Dean was gone then it had to be because of the people who wanted him, and that was something that he couldn't let happen. He knew that Izzy would worry about him, but he knew that he had to find his brother and bring him home, even if it meant being by himself for awhile.

The whimpering by his side brought Sam out of his thoughts and reminded him that he wasn't really alone, making him feel at least a little bit better. Smiling at the small dog he continued to run through the woods towards the backside of the property. He and Dean had been exploring, and he knew the best places to hide and even the best shortcuts. All he had to do was cross the fence and he'd be on Mrs. Sorenson's property which was attached to another road that he knew he could follow. He wasn't exactly sure where he was going, but he figured that anything was better than waiting.

Suddenly a thought occurred to him and he looked down at Puppy and asked, "Do you think that Dean would want me to use my powers to find him?"

Puppy looked up at the boy in front of him and sat down while seemingly contemplating the question. The question itself wasn't hard, but the implications of what it would cause were much more difficult. Of course Dean would want Sam to use his abilities, but he also wouldn't want his little brother running off on a rescue mission; especially solo.

Sam watched as the small dog seemed to think things through and he had to wonder what there was to think about, either he did or he didn't. Of course there was the fact that neither one knew exactly what Dean would want since he wasn't there, but maybe they could get close. Suddenly brought out of his reverie, Sam looked to see Puppy barking enthusiastically giving him the encouragement he needed to allow his inner abilities to flow through him once again. It didn't take long for him to realize that his brother was in trouble, big trouble.

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"Get your damn hands off me you bastard!" Dean screamed as he kicked out at his attacker. He didn't know how long he'd been unconscious, but when he woke he knew he was screwed.

Lying on a concrete floor with his hands tied behind him, Dean wasn't sure what to think. Then the sudden realization that he might be alone but so was Sammy, filtered through his brain making him look everywhere for the best way out. He hadn't been awake more than a few minutes before three men all dressed in jeans and leather jackets walked into the sparse room and started telling him that he'd make a fine addition, or die in the process. Needless to say, any chance of cooperation stopped at that point and Dean immediately went on the defensive, not allowing any of his captures within reach of him; anything to stall for time.

"Enough of this! Leave him to rot, we have plenty of time." One of the men said with disgust. If he'd had his way, they would have killed the brat at the school and waited for the funeral to grab young Samuel.

Another man walked up and reminded him of the very thing he didn't want to hear. "Liam, you know we must keep this one healthy otherwise the Elders will be upset."

Liam growled under his breath before storming back out the door, leaving the other two to deal with Dean. As they looked at the teen before them they both wondered what was so special about this one that made the Elders so willing to take the chance of being discovered.

Dean couldn't get rid of the feeling that he was being measured up, and that was something he'd hated from the time he was little. "Whatcha lookin' at?" he snarled at the two remaining dark haired men, hoping to keep them at a distance long enough for whatever rescue was going to take place to actually… well, take place.

"You know kid, it's not our fault that you let your guard down. Didn't anyone ever teach you to watch your back?" the smaller of the two asked, wondering yet again what was so special about the boy in front of them.

Refusing to give them the satisfaction, Dean ignored the men and started to focus on the fleeting feeling that was starting to blossom within him. It took him a few moments, but he suddenly realized what it was and he allowed himself to smile.

'Good going Sammy, keep it up!' he thought with excitement. Anything that these yahoos tossed at him he'd deal with now that he knew he had his little brother back.

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Sam felt Dean and in his excitement tripped over Puppy causing the little dog to yelp in surprise more than pain. Feeling horrible about what happened, Sam picked up his puppy and snuggled him close, enjoying the feel of the warm fur in the cold air.

"I'm sorry Puppy, I felt Dean again and I guess I got carried away." He said quickly, turning back around and jogging towards the road once again.

'_That's alright Sam, I knew you had something else on your mind, it's nice to know that Dean is ok.'_

Nodding, Sam continued along his path, not wanting to contemplate what hearing William in his head meant. He knew that Dean's father was there to help, but he was usually able to tune him out unless he really needed something; which made him wonder what it was that he needed.

'_Sam, you need to stop thinking so much and start feeling for what you need to do.'_ William suggested gently. It hadn't been easy to watch the little boy struggle with being who he is, and even harder to know that he had decided that everyone was better off if he wasn't the special boy he was. However, the hardest part was deciding what to tell him when he asked if he should tune himself back into his power. He knew that of course he should, but he shouldn't go off by himself to rescue Dean, then again he didn't know if they'd have another opportunity for Sam to decide on his own about what he should do. Now he could only hope that the others would figure out where they were going so they could rescue them all, while he kept Sam out of as much trouble as possible. 'This was so much easier when I was human. I bet Crocell is cackling his head off right about now.' He thought sourly. So deep in his thoughts he almost missed what Sam said, but what he heard made his heart almost stop.

"I wonder what would happen if I thought about Dean really hard."

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"What do you mean Sammy's gone?" John exclaimed as he held the phone in one hand and looked at Mary in bewilderment.

"_I'm so sorry John. He was here before Caleb and Bobby left to meet up with you, but by the time I made it back in the house he was gone."_

Sighing, John knew it wasn't Izzy's fault; Sammy had a stubborn streak at times which had served him well enough to keep him alive, but at the moment scared him to no end. Seeing both Bobby and Caleb walking up to them and trying to field questions for the police, John replied easily, "Izzy, it's ok; we know you did your best. Don't worry, we'll find the boys and have them both back before that batch of cookies you're baking have cooled."

Stunned, Izzy looked at the items surrounding her and smiled. _"John, it's a good thing I was whipping up a batch otherwise I'd think you were trying to give me a hint. Now go on and find our boys, I'll make sure everything's ready for all of you when you get home."_

After handing the phone back to the officer, John turned back to Mary and filled her and the hunters in on what was going on at the house. Upset, Mary was ready to go back and search on foot herself, knowing that with the cold weather her little boy could get severely ill again.

"Don't worry Mary, we'll go and see if we can find his trail, neither of us are surprised that Izzy couldn't tell which way he went with as many of us have been traipsing along the area." Bobby said, already determined to find Sam's path and in turn hopefully find his older brother.

Watching both Bobby and Caleb head back towards the truck, both Winchester's wondered how successful any of them would be in finding their boys tonight. Having their attention pulled back to the issue at hand, the officer in front of them explained that they were still following a few leads and they'd be notified as soon as they knew anything.

Not wanting to leave the last place Dean was seen, Mary dug her heals in and let everyone know in no uncertain terms that she wasn't leaving until they found her boy, giving the investigators a small taste of her temper in the process.

John watched his wife explain the situation to the officers and had to wonder yet again just how he got so damn lucky. Shaking his head he was ready to speak to Alex who had come by to make sure everything was done correctly, when he noticed an unfamiliar face and noted how the person just didn't fit.

Leaving Mary with Alex, John tried to blend in with the crowd while keeping his eyes on the stranger. It wasn't until the second block that the crowd had thinned and the man had disappeared leaving John to wonder just how close he really was to his son.

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Dean wasn't used to having so much quiet time alone with his thoughts, and so was not used to having to deal with the completely random things that seemed to float through his head. He had already managed to get his tied hands in front of him which made moving around quite a bit easier, and then he made sure he knew what type of lock was on the door making him wish he knew how to pick a lock with a fingernail.

Sighing, he was just about to settle down for the night when he felt a change in the room and a building of energy that seemed familiar but he couldn't place. Finally looking up he understood why it felt familiar; it was his little brother's energy field. Not fully understanding what he was seeing, Dean took a step back as he watched fascinated by the white blue light that expanded across the ceiling until he could hear what sounded like screaming getting louder. Before he knew what he was doing, he was diving under his little brother to keep him from crashing into the concrete floor.

"Sammy… what the…" he asked as he looked down at his little brother then up at the ceiling. "Ok, what did you just do?"

Shaking his head, Sam looked around a moment before checking on the puppy in his arms. "It worked! It worked Dean! I thought about you really hard and here you are!" he exclaimed, amazed that something like that could really happen.

Looking at his brother, Dean shook his head, "Sorry Sammy, I'm not with you… you're with me, which means your stuck here too."

Suddenly crestfallen, Sam was about to cry when Dean gave him a hug as much as he could with his wrists still tied. Seeing his big brother's predicament, Sam quickly untied Dean before giving him a smile. "Maybe this time I can take you too!"

Dean could already tell what that little trip had done to his Sammy, and there was no way he was going to entertain that option unless they absolutely had too. "Tell you what kiddo, you go to sleep and we'll decide later, ok?"

Sam was about to argue, but a yawn suddenly attacked, and he knew that Dean was right, he needed some sleep. Nodding, he curled up close to his brother and held Puppy even tighter while he drifted off to sleep, not hearing his big brother's confident words.

"Don't worry Sammy, I'm here and I'll find us a way out."


	19. Chapter 19

AN: Sorry this is so short, I've had a rough weekend and am hoping to feel better soon. Hope you like it anyway!!

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Mary hated that even with all the resources at their disposal; no one could tell her where her boys were. Both Dean and Sammy had been missing throughout the night, and she could only pray that somehow they were together. Now though, as she watched her husband and their friends slowly mark off the maps where they knew the boys not to be she couldn't help but wonder if they were making it too difficult, what if the answer was staring at them the whole time.

"John…" she called out, wondering if maybe she was just grasping at straws. "John, is there any reason why the officers are determined to think our boys have left the area?"

Looking between Bobby and Caleb he could see this was a subject that they didn't want to discuss, but it was bound to come up. The problem was though that it led to a darker subject and none of them wanted to entertain, it was better to concentrate on the knowledge that they had versus what the police were determined to act upon; hopefully looking at the same problem from both directions would get the desired results. While the police were going off the statistics that most kidnappers would get as far away from the scene as possible, they were banking on the fact that these weren't ordinary kidnappers and had another agenda in mind.

"Don't worry Mary, we'll find them." John said quietly, hoping that it was an answer that would satisfy his normally stubborn wife. Looking up he realized suddenly that he had definitely said the wrong thing.

"I didn't ask if we were going to find our boys John, I asked if there was a reason why they're looking outside of town!" Mary exclaimed, wondering why everything lately had to be so damn hard. Turning around, she started the Impala and started the drive back to the cottage, hoping that maybe inspiration would strike as to where to look next.

Bobby looked and John and sighed, "Any reason why you didn't tell her what we found?"

John looked at both hunters and nodded, "Yeah, if she's panicked now, how do you think she'd feel if we told her that Sammy's trail disappeared in thin air… literally?"

Caleb gave a small laugh and replied, "I think I'd be more horrified of her reaction if she found out what it meant. If we're right, then Sam could be anywhere on the planet."

"Yeah, well I'm shooting a little closer to home." Bobby interrupted. "There's no way they would have taken Dean if they didn't want him for something, and my guess is to have some leverage with Sam."

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Dean wasn't sure what he was more thankful for, that he was close to his little brother again, or that they had been left alone all night. He figured that whatever they were planning had more to do with trying to wear him down until he fit into their little plan. Little did they know he wasn't planning on sticking around long enough for them to get a chance.

He'd been looking around the room and although he hadn't found a solid way out, he knew that he and Sammy could take the other guys by surprise and possibly even get past them before they knew what hit them. Now though he had to decide whether it was worth the risk.

Looking over at his sleeping brother, he was happy that the kid had actually slept through the night. In a way though, he was hoping that if they got into a real bind, then Sammy could do something and get them out of there, but he also knew it was a selfish thought; one that could actually hurt his brother as much as help them out of their situation.

Looking at Puppy he asked, "You wouldn't have any brilliant ideas would you?" Seeing the small dog look up at him with a forlorn look and knew what the answer was. Sighing, he nodded and waited until Sammy started to wake.

"Dean?"

"Hey Sammy, how ya feeling?" he asked, hoping that his little brother hadn't hurt himself in his effort to find him.

Sam looked around and wondered if they could go home today. Realizing that Dean asked him a question, Sam smiled, "I'm fine Dean… I missed you!"

Amazed, Dean wondered how he had gotten so lucky to have such a great little brother. "I missed you too, kiddo. Now, are you sure that you don't have a headache… nothing hurts?"

Thinking, Sam wondered what he should tell his big brother. He was tired, but he didn't really hurt too much… not like before when he over did it. Now though he knew that if he told his brother that he kind of ached all over and was still really tired, then Dean wouldn't let him help get them out of there. "I'm fine Dean… can we go now? I miss Mommy and Daddy!"

Before Dean could answer, the door opened letting the men from the pervious night through. It took everyone a few moments before the implications of what they were seeing to filter through their brains, and then there was a sudden flurry of activity. Puppy immediately went on the defensive lunging and biting the closest man, causing both Dean and Sam to jump up and face the other two. By the time Liam kicked the dog off his leg, the boys were standing shoulder to shoulder waiting and watching for their opportunity. Looking at his friends, Liam was about to yell at the others when they suddenly surged forward to grab the boys.

Dean knew that they were going to try to divide and conquer and immediately grabbed Sammy by the arm and swung him behind him while at the same time avoiding his attacker by dodging to the left. He knew that they needed to get out the door, but with Liam standing in the middle and the other two moving to try to corner them, he was starting to wonder how they were going to get past them when more people showed up making the situation not only more difficult, but also made his brother freeze in fear.

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Izzy wished that Karen was with them right now; if anyone would know what to do it would be the young woman. Hearing the Impala pull in front of the house, she thought that maybe they found the boys, but upon seeing only Mary she knew that things had gotten more complicated. Sighing, she turned to make more tea as she heard the door open and heard the younger woman talk angrily to herself. Waiting for a moment, she knew that Mary would come into the kitchen soon and patiently waited not wanting to intrude upon her thoughts.

"Izzy, I cannot believe what utter morons we have protecting us. Did you know that they think that Dean had been kidnapped and immediately taken out of town… not necessarily the state, just out of town! They've stopped the full scale search here, but are expanding outside the county… not the state line, just the county! I don't get it Izzy, my boys are gone and we have people who aren't thinking things through, I know that they're close… I can feel it, but they want to call it hysteria!" Mary fumed as Izzy handed her a cup of tea as they sat at the table. "I have no idea what John and the others are up to, but I know one thing, I can't sit here and wait, I'm going to find them and bring them home!"

Mary jumped up and rushed to her room to change into more layers and to gather more supplies for her search for her boys. She knew that her husband and their friends were doing there best, but she really had to do something, even if that meant doing something completely irrational. Giving Izzy a huge hug, she promised to call soon, and then was heading out the door again with a new determination to not only find her boys, but to make those who took Dean regret it.

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AN: I don't know about you, but I really like Mary in Mama Bear mode... don't you??


	20. Chapter 20

AN: Well, I have to admit, I enjoyed writing this chapter... I hope you all enjoy reading it. Oh and for SG... good luck tomorrow, I know you'll knock 'em dead! ;)

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Sam stared at the older man in the doorway and knew instantly who it was. 'Todd!' He thought; confused by what he was seeing and what he'd seen in his dream. As he watched from behind his brother he wondered why people couldn't just be honest with each other instead of trying to trick everyone.

"Samuel, I am truly sorry this had to happen, but you refused to come to me. Now, you will be the cause of this young man's family getting hurt." Todd said softly, motioning to his escorts to move inside.

Dean quickly backed both himself and Sammy up enough to keep them away from the approaching men. He knew that something was definitely off, but at the moment he really didn't care, at the moment he just needed to figure a way out of there.

"Sammy, I think now would be a good time!" Dean exclaimed as they suddenly hit a wall and the approaching men weren't slowing down. Not hearing anything he turned his head and saw the raw fear in his brother's eyes and knew it had to do with the man in the doorway. "SAM!" he yelled, sure that they weren't going to find a way out in time, but then started to feel somewhat strange. He felt like he was free falling in a weird way and he could definitely understand the disorientation Sammy had felt afterwards, but he was starting to feel a little dizzy and wondered how long they'd continue the way they were before suddenly it was as if a switch had been flipped and he was truly falling until he landed on a very soft surface before bouncing off.

Looking around he saw that both Sammy and Puppy made it through which made him feel better until it hit him that they weren't home. "Uh Sammy, buddy, where are we?"

Sam looked around and looked at his brother with large eyes. "Uh Oh!"

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Bobby knew that they needed a break otherwise there was no way they were going to be able to find the boys. Watching the police do their investigation with only half the information was borderline painful, but he also knew they couldn't go around telling them everything either; they'd be fitted for straightjackets quicker than a blink. No, right now they needed to figure out who had the most to gain from the boys then try and think about the best place to stash them would be.

"Ok Bobby, that's another section we can mark off. There's no way the boys are on this block." Caleb said as he got back into the truck. He and John had searched every building from top to bottom and didn't see any signs of anyone being anywhere close. Sighing, he knew that John was getting more desperate by the second and that wasn't going to help the situation at all. "Any news yet from Penny's parents?"

Shaking his head, Bobby watched as John looked around again as if to make sure a building or shed hadn't snuck up behind them. "No, nothing. They're still looking though and they have their friends searching too. I have to tell you Caleb, this stinks bad. There's no way Dean would have left of his own free will, and I'm certain whoever took him was just using him for bait to get Sam. So, where are they? You can't tell me that they'd go through all this trouble just to take him so far out that the little guy wouldn't be able to follow."

Caleb thought a moment before turning to the older hunter, "What if they were after Dean and not Sam? What if they changed their mind and wanted to use Dean for something but knew that he'd only stay if they had Sam too?"

Although it was a sound theory, Bobby wasn't sure what to make of it. Sure the idea had merit, but why would they suddenly switch gears; that is if they really knew who had Dean to begin with. Pulling his cap back, Bobby wasn't sure what to think, but he knew what they needed to do. Rolling down the window he yelled for John to get in the truck then turned to Caleb. "We need to get back to the cottage and rethink this. Something's not meshing right, and I think we need to call Missouri to see what she thinks."

Normally Caleb would have been in full agreement, but something about the last meeting he had with her still set him the wrong way. Knowing though that they weren't going to get anywhere the way they currently were going, he nodded and moved over a bit more to allow John into the truck.

"Bobby, I think we need to head back to the house, Mary's probably out of her mind worrying and I don't like leaving her and Izzy there too long without updating them." John said as he put his hands in front of the vent. He knew that if he was cold, then his boys had to be freezing and that didn't set too well with him but he also knew that if there was anyplace that his boys would go to first it would be home.

Each man lost in their thoughts caused the drive back to the cottage a quiet one. Each man hoping to find the two brothers before the sun went down again. Pulling in front of the cottage they noticed the Impala was gone and wondered where Mary went, if maybe she had a lead and couldn't find them. Rushing into the house however they found the opposite to be true and they now had another worry; what if something happened to Mary.

Izzy insisted on feeding them a nice hot meal with fresh coffee and none of the men had the heart to argue. By the time they all finished, they had to admit their outlook on the whole situation was looking better and they were gearing up for searching another grid. With each man equipped with hot coffee, sandwiches and cleaner warm clothes, they were half way to the door when the phone rang. Looking at the others, John quickly made his way to the phone and noticing the hopeful look in Izzy's eyes, smiled reassuringly to her, praying that this was the call they were waiting for.

"Hello!... Dean?!... Oh my God son, are you alright? Is Sammy with you?... Good, good, yes we're glad too… uh huh… ok son go ahead……… _you're where?!_"

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"Uh oh!" Sam said looking around the room. He hadn't really been prepared and when Dean yelled at him to get his attention his mind had shifted to something else. Now as he looked around he knew that he made a mistake… a _huge_ mistake and wondered if his brother was going to be mad at him again.

Seeing Sammy beating himself up, Dean wished he had kept his mouth shut, or at least thought before he spoke. Now though wasn't the time to think about it, now was the time to let his little brother know exactly how he felt. "Dude, that's so cool! Do you know how much we could save in airplane tickets once you get this under control?" he asked, watching as his brother's expression change from despair to happiness in a matter of moments.

"You're not mad Dean? I mean, this isn't where I was expecting, it's just I was thinking of how much I wanted us to be home but when you shouted then it changed to safe. I mean it's not like I don't…"

"Sammy, I get it… I surprised you when you were already freaked, it's cool. Now, how about we call Mom and Dad and fill them in on our little trip?" Dean asked, hoping he could find a way to explain this.

Sam wasn't sure what to do. He wanted to go home, but he also didn't want to get in trouble either. Sighing, he nodded and led the way down the stairs feeling as if he was already in trouble. Sitting on a stool he watched Dean dial the phone and waited.

Dean smiled at his little brother, hoping that he was making him feel better but worried that he was actually making it worse. Dialing the number he hoped that someone was home, because he didn't want to keep having this conversation over and over again in his head. Finally though he heard his dad's voice and the conversation took on a life of its own.

"Hey Dad!...Yeah, I'm fine and Sammy's with me, which let me tell you I'm so happy for…ok Dad, there's something I need to tell you… it's really important and I need you to really listen and understand… Dad, we're at Izzy's bookstore in Monterey… Dad?" he asked, listening as there was a long pause before his dad practically shouted down the line, "_you're where?!_"

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The elder Todd was furious. They had both boys in their custody but they had managed to escape due to the boy's very interesting ability to teleport; something that hadn't even been suspected of him. As he watched the others attempt to find out more information of where the boys would have gone, he instead wondered how he was going to explain this to the Chairman. It was not something he was looking forward to.

"Sir, I'm afraid the Reader's lost all contact as soon as the boy was brought in close to the other, and the Seers aren't able to make sense of the visions they are currently having."

Taking a deep breath, the elder refused to lash out at his underlings, however tempted he may be. Having the boy Dean would have solved so many problems, and the added bonus of young Samuel being there with his 'brother' was such a convenient twist he now felt the loss of the perfect opportunity to advance the Realm's plan. Now though everything was back as it was except the knowledge that Samuel had another special talent that he couldn't wait to get hold of to explore. Now all he had to do was clear it with the other Elders as well as with the Chairman, and the next time he got hold of the boy there would be no letting go.


	21. Chapter 21

Dean watched his little brother doze while sitting on a stool and had to wonder how the kid was still able to stay upright. Looking around, he noticed there were quite a few large overstuffed chairs in the bookstore and decided to make Sammy more comfortable. He was trying not to make any sudden moves and finally managed to pick his brother up carefully into his arms and settle him into a chair that had a hideous paisley design to it, but looked comfortable enough for now.

Sitting on the floor next to his little brother, Dean took the moment to go over what happened in his head. Sammy admitted that he had been scared and just wanted to get them someplace safe. Unfortunately what Sammy seemed to think was safe and what others would probably think, seemed to be galaxies apart. 'Is there some reason why he didn't feel safe at home?' Dean wondered, and then shook his head as he remembered that even at home Sammy had gotten hurt. "Ok, so we find our way back and make sure nothing ever touches you again Sammy." He said quietly, hoping that his Sammy could hear the quiet conviction in his voice.

Leaning back against the chair, Dean drifted off to sleep knowing that pretty soon their dad would call to let them know when he'd be there. He just needed to keep Sammy safe until then.

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Mary couldn't believe what she'd just heard. In fact she was more determined to believe that her husband had decided to get himself drunk as some sort of ill timed midlife crisis than she was to believe that her baby had somehow transported himself and his big brother across the country… with the dog!

"I'm not in the mood for this John. I have just spent the last three and a half hours going over every nook and cranny that I could think of in this town to find our boys and you stand there and make a joke about it?" she asked, appalled at the thought that her husband wasn't taking the situation seriously.

John knew that it had been a bad idea to spring this on Mary. His wife could handle a variety of things in a variety of scenarios, but missing kids and jokes just don't mix with her. 'So why did you have to open your trap, moron?' he thought to himself, wondering how he could have been so flippant with _Sweetheart, relax… the boys forgot Izzy was here and stopped in at her place for a visit!_ Yeah, that wasn't going over too well. Taking a deep breath, he made sure to look right into her eyes before nodding, "Mary, the boys are safe… in Monterey. I don't know exactly how it happened except that Sammy did it."

Stunned, Mary heard what John said, but worried that maybe it was a vitamin deficiency, or maybe she had finally lost what had once resembled her mind. Instead of saying anything, she sat down and stared blankly at the one person that she'd always trusted with everything that was her. Seeing the seriousness of his face she knew that this wasn't some practical joke, and on top of that, she understood that they had a flight to arrange and catch if she wanted her boys back. As she stood and reached for the phone book a voice behind her froze her in her spot and made the others gasp in shock before reason prevailed and everyone stared at the newcomer.

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Somehow he knew exactly where he was and who he was with even before he opened his eyes. Looking around, Sam smiled a moment before he really remembered how they got there and before he could stop it, a low moan escaped from his mouth waking his brother instantly.

"Hey kiddo, how's it going?" Dean asked through a yawn. Stretching, he looked at Sammy and smiled at how his brother's curly hair was now standing up at strange angles. "Looks like you might need a haircut when we get home Sammy."

Ignoring Dean's laughter, Sam took a good look at his big brother and wondered about what he saw. He had been so sure that he'd see anger or even unease; instead though he saw the same brother who loved him no matter what. "You're not mad Dean?" he asked quietly.

Puzzled, it took Dean a few minutes to understand why he should have been mad. As soon as he felt himself on the same page as his little brother he smiled and shook his head. "Nope! In fact, I'm pretty proud of you kiddo. I just have one question for you. You said that you thought about someplace safe and then we ended up here. Any reason why you don't feel safe at home?"

Sam thought about it a moment and wasn't sure how to answer. Suddenly an idea occurred to him, making him take Dean's hand and lead him through the store periodically pointing at things. "When I'd get scared Karen would show me all the things in the store that kept bad things away, then she'd sing to me. Nothing bad has ever happened to me here Dean… ever! I guess it's just… because."

Dean remembered using the 'just because' answer a lot when he was smaller, it usually meant that he knew what he was talking about but knew other people probably wouldn't get it. Nodding, he sat down in front of Sammy and looked up at him. "I know that some bad things have happened at home, but I hope you're not going to use that as a reason to not go back."

"NO! Dean I want to go home!" Sam exclaimed, knowing that he didn't explain himself, but hoping that one day he could. "Please Dean, can we? Go home?"

Smiling, Dean nodded. "Sure thing kiddo, in fact I'm pretty sure Mom and Dad are already on their way to come and get us." He hesitated when he saw the puzzled then sad look on Sammy's face. "Hey, what's wrong… you were ready to go home just a minute ago… what happened?"

"Jessica lives here and I wanted to see her." Sam said sadly looking down at his shoes. He knew it sounded silly, but he really missed her and had wanted to say good-bye, but Uncle Jack had wanted to leave as soon as everyone had packed so he hadn't gotten the chance. Sighing, he was ready to hear all the reasons why they couldn't when he heard Dean speak again, changing everything.

"You know what… I think that's a great idea! Let's figure out where they live and then we'll call Mom and Dad to let them know what we're doing before we go home, ok?"

Now Sam knew he had the best big brother in the world! Picking up Puppy, Sam hugged him close and smiled widely. "We're going to see Jessica, Puppy!" he whispered excitedly into the little dog's ear, making the small animal whine in anxiety.

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"Hey Mom… Dad." Derrick said quietly, noticing that the two other hunters seemed to be looking for their guns. "Uh, do you think you can call them off?" he asked motioning towards Bobby and Caleb.

Both John and Mary stood stunned in their spots and stared at their son… their long _deceased_ son. Noticing that Bobby's hand was inching towards his waistband where one of his guns was tucked away, he shook his head slightly signaling that everything was alright. Walking towards Derrick, Mary reached out towards her son but hesitated. "How…?" she asked, tears filling her eyes as she watched her son stand before her.

"I don't have a lot of time Mom. I just wanted to let you know not to go get Dean and Sammy; you'll just lead the creeps right to them. When Dean calls just agree to what he tells you, I promise they'll be fine." Derrick said hastily, already starting to flicker.

Shocked, John couldn't help but ask, "You know about Sammy?"

Derrick laughed a moment before pulling himself back into a whole form again. "Yeah, me and the little guy talk sometimes. You know he's pretty cool… for a pipsqueak. By the way… you really need to let him know that you're going to be ok with everything he can do. 'Cause I have to tell you, you ain't seen nothing yet!" Seeing the confused looks on their faces he smiled, "He's happy; you're happy, don't make it more difficult than that, ok? I love you guys, but I have to go… just remember, don't go to them."

The room suddenly became still as one moment the figure of Derrick Winchester was standing in front of them and the next he was gone. Mary didn't know what to do, she had a chance to say so many things to him but nothing would come out. John stood staring at the spot that once occupied his boy and wondered if this was the only chance they'd have to truly say good-bye, and if so why couldn't they get the words out. Both Bobby and Caleb started to look around to see if there was a reason why a spirit had been able to pop in for a visit, while Izzy stood back and wondered why everyone couldn't see it as the blessing that it was.

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As the Elders disbursed, Todd sat down in the nearest chair somewhat shocked at what he'd heard. Before, the consensus was that both boys would be taught how to use their abilities to further all of mankind, and they would go by any means necessary to make sure neither the protector nor the abomination were burdens upon others. Now though, in light of Samuel's most recent ability development, it was agreed that the only way to ensure others safety was to take out the threat; child or no. Although he hadn't wanted to see it come to this, he had agreed that it was the only way to make sure there were no mishaps in the future.

Resigned that he had just sentenced two children to their deaths, because they all knew that the boy Dean would give his life to protect the younger, he now had to resolve himself to the task. Permission had been granted to locate Samuel and his brother by any possible method, and with the help of the Seers as well as some of those who were very good at their job, all they had to do was wait and let the misguided parents lead them all to their quarry. In the end, a greater justice would be served, Todd truly believed that; so in that case, could what they were about to do really be considered cold blooded murder?


	22. Chapter 22

Listening to the phone ring again wasn't something that Dean wanted to do, especially when he knew the reaction of what he was about to ask. Hearing Sammy ask for something for himself made him spur himself into action since the kid hardly asked for anything… in fact, he couldn't remember a time when his little brother asked for something that was solely for him. Finally hearing his dad answer the phone, Dean took a deep breath and jumped in.

"Dad look… me and Sammy think we should make our way home on our own. I know that it's risky, but if these guys start to..."

"Dean… slow down son. Although your mom and I wanted to bring you two home ourselves, it's been brought to our attention that it might not be safe. Are you sure you can handle everything from your end?" John asked, feeling the heavy weight in his heart, while fighting against the feeling that he was actually abandoning his boys.

Dean smirked before answering, "Yeah Dad, we got it covered, but we're not taking the direct route right away. I'll let you know though how we're doing every couple of days, ok?"

Worried, John immediately asked, "Is Sammy…"

"He's fine Dad, just really tired. Will you trust me enough to explain everything once we get home?" Dean asked as he watched Sammy doze once again.

John looked around to the others and saw the concern that each person shared, but couldn't bring himself to go against his promise to Derrick. "Yeah son, I trust you. Just take care of yourself, ok? Oh… and Izzy said that you need to take as much money out of the cash register as you need, ok?"

Letting out a breath that he hadn't known he was holding, Dean agreed wholeheartedly. He hadn't gotten far in the planning, and now could have kicked himself for not planning ahead. Of course the question then comes into play of who plans to get kidnapped in the first place and what supplies would you bring to your own kidnapping anyway? "Thanks Dad, let her know that we'll only take what we think we'll need and I'll pay her back later, ok?"

Pride swelled within John making him understand that Dean wasn't just assuring Izzy, but him as well. "We know son. Take care of yourself and your brother and we'll see you soon."

Knowing that the conversation was just one sigh away from becoming a full blown chick flick moment, he laughed lightly. "Sure Dad, I promise not to sell him to the gypsies. Give Mom a hug and I'll call in a couple of days if we're not already there."

Resting the receiver onto the hook, John enveloped Mary into his arms and prayed that they were doing the right thing.

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Getting the money out of the cash register, Dean carefully counted out how much he thought it would take to get him and Sammy back home. Making a mental note of the amount, he knew that he'd be able to give Izzy the money from his savings account, but wanted to make sure she knew how much he appreciated the loan. Turning back towards his little brother, he was happy to see the kid sleeping peacefully with Puppy curled up next to him. It wasn't everyday that you get transported half way across the country by sheer willpower, and he was pretty sure it took a lot of energy especially with two passengers tagging along for the ride.

Calling information he was thankful to hear that there was a train system from Monterey to Palo Alto, and that the lady hadn't sounded too put out when he asked for the address for the Moore's at the same time. Loaded with his new information, he decided that they could wait until in the morning before officially starting their adventure. Feeling better with that decision behind them, he knew that they'd need to eat soon and took to looking around the store and the kitchen hidden off to the side in hopes that Izzy's friend had kept everything stocked. Disappointed, he walked back into where his brother was sleeping and waited awhile before waking Sammy.

"Hey little dude… c'mon Sammy wake up, I'm getting hungry!" Dean whined, hoping that would speed up the waking process. Not getting any results, Dean resorted to tickling his little brother until the bookstore was filled with Sammy's giggles.

It took a few minutes before Sam was able to breathe again without dissolving into a giggling mess, but when he finally calmed down, he turned towards his big brother and smiled. "I'm glad you're here with me Dean." He said honestly, there wasn't anyone else in the world that he'd rather be with, especially when there were bad people after him.

Taking his little brother into his arms, Dean gave him a quick hug before pulling back. "Hey kiddo, we need to get going. I figure we can get something to eat before we catch the train the Palo Alto, and then we can find Jessica and Mariah."

Shocked, Sam looked at Dean in wonder. "Really? You mean we can go see them right now?" he asked, truly thinking that his big brother was the absolute best in the world.

Nodding, Dean pulled out the piece of paper from his pocket and showed it to his little brother. "Yeah, we can catch this train and once we're there we can get a cab to take us to Aunt Penny's. First though, you need to eat so come on." He helped Sam up off the floor then led him towards the back entrance where he knew from last time would lock automatically behind them. "We'll find something on the way, and if you eat everything maybe we can get an ice cream too." Hearing his brother's cheer, Dean wondered how anyone could ever think that Sammy could be some evil person.

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Jack was in the process of trying to convince his girls that it was perfectly acceptable to have a Christmas tree even if there was no chance of snow. So far though, he hadn't made any headway and instead was giving himself quite a headache. He heard Penny in the kitchen laughing at his predicament and knew that this was gearing up to be another night of 'loud discussion' of why they were in California while their family and friends were in Kansas. Biting back his frustration, he allowed his wife her moment of victory and was about to continue his point with his little girls when the doorbell rang.

Not sure who would be visiting in the evening, Penny stepped closer to the door just as Jack answered it and stood there in shock. It wasn't until she heard Jessica and Mariah's squeals of happiness that she looked around the door to see both Sammy and Dean standing there smiling.

"Oh my God! Boys… come in! Oh my… where's Mary and John? Aren't they with you?" Penny asked, wondering what would have possessed her friends to allow the boys to go _anywhere_ by themselves.

"No Aunt Penny, it's just us. We were in Monterey and Sammy wanted to visit, so… here we are!" Dean said plainly, knowing that they were going to want more information. "Before you start yelling, someone's after me and Sammy, Mom and Dad already know we were in Monterey and they know we're on our way back."

Stunned, both Jack and Penny took a moment to process this new information before finally nodding. "Ok, so they know you're in California… that doesn't explain how you got here or who's supposedly after you." Jack said while looking between the boys.

"Jack, don't start." Penny warned. Something told her that whatever happened had more to do with Sammy and that was one subject that was still a sore spot for them. In fact, she was pretty sure that if it hadn't been for the fact of how they left things in Lawrence, then they probably would have gone back home already. "Sammy, how are you baby? You look tired."

"I'm fine Aunt Penny…Puppy's helping me." Sam said with a smile as he pulled his little dog out of his jacket to show everyone.

"Puppy is actually my father William O'Connell and he's here to help Sammy when his abilities get to be too much." Dean explained, not sure what they already knew or what they were assuming. Seeing the worried looks on their faces he suddenly got defensive, "Look, it might not be the best circumstances, but Sammy needs to know how to control his abilities before they hurt him, or worse…someone kills him because of them!"

Sam saw the flicker of fear in the adults' faces and wondered why anyone would be scared of _him_. Sighing, he turned to Jessica and Mariah and smiled. "I just wanted to tell you Thank You for being my friend for so long. I've never had friends before besides Izzy and Karen, so you're both like my first ones… you know… besides Dean… 'cause he's been my friend since _forever_!"

Dean laughed a little, but knew what his little brother meant; they had been friends since Sammy was a baby and nothing or no one was going to change that. Sensing the change in his brother, he knew that whatever Sammy had hoped for had somehow been blown out of the water, but he waited until he was finished before speaking again. "Alright kiddo, can we now _puhleeze_ go? We have a long way and I'd really like to get back home before Santa decides to stop in for a visit?"

Sad eyes drifted back to the elder Moore's before Sam smiled and nodded. Allowing another hug from Jessica and Mariah, he ignored their protests that they should stay and followed his big brother back out the door. He heard Aunt Penny call out to them before she shouted to Uncle Jack to "do something!", but he and Dean had made up their minds and nothing was going to change it. Hearing Puppy whimper, he let the puppy's head out of his jacket and smiled when he got doggy kisses on the face making him feel that maybe it wasn't a mistake to visit his friends after all.

Dean knew what his little brother was feeling and he couldn't help but feel resentment towards Jack and Penny for it. While Jessica and Mariah had kept talking to Sammy, the other two had seemed almost convinced that whatever trouble they were into was caused by Sammy himself; and that was something that was unacceptable in his book. No one put blame on his brother, especially when the little guy hadn't done anything to deserve it. So he did what he had to; ignore the polite conversation from one half the room, and the happy chattering from the other half, in order to get his little brother out of there. Wrapping his arm around Sammy he smiled down at the smaller boy, "Don't worry Sammy, we'll get home and Mom's going to spoil you rotten while Dad won't let you out of his sight for a week!"

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John had barely picked up the phone before he was bombarded from the other party. It took him a moment to figure out what the person was saying and another to figure out who was yelling at him in the first place. "Jack? What the…"

"_Hell yes it's me! Who the hell do you think it'd be to let you know that your boys are traipsing around the country telling interesting tales? My God man how could you have become so irresponsible to let those two out of your sight, especially with Sam being a ticking time bomb! My God… are you insane or…"_

"What are you talking about Jack? Just because Sammy doesn't fit into your perfect little mold of what normal should be, you think that makes him a time bomb? I got news for you, you pretentious ass… if he was any sort of bomb he would have gone off by now. You have no idea what that boy has had to face while you've been on your high horse. As a matter of fact, I have it on good authority that if the boys were here right now, they'd probably be dead. So yeah, they're on a little road trip, they'll be back home soon, and it's none of your damn business anymore is it?" John demanded as he slammed down the receiver. Taking a deep breath, he turned towards the table where everyone was barely touching their dinner before announcing. "The boys just left Palo Alto."

Understanding caused those sitting at the table to nod as they all waited for the phone to ring again, this time in hopes that it would be the boys in question. As it neared dark, it was becoming clear that there would be no phone call tonight, and no instant traveling either. Although they all had hoped that Sammy would be able to do it again, they also knew that it was too soon for him to try anything like that. So instead they waited and silently prayed to whatever deity was listening, that the boys were safe and sound and would be home soon.

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Dean watched Sammy sleep in the seat closest to the window, there was no way he was letting anyone any closer to his brother than necessary. Memories of their last bus ride flooded his mind and he was thankful that they didn't have to deal with that this time. Instead though, they had to deal with a puppy that they couldn't leave behind, but couldn't take on the bus, so instead they had snuck him on board with them. Now Sammy and Puppy were snuggled together, and as long as the tiny dog stayed still then everyone would think him a stuffed animal.

It had been a difficult choice on how to get home. He knew that if people were watching closely then they'd expect his mom and dad to hop on the nearest plane and go to them, but with that option out of the way, he could now only buy Caleb and Bobby some time to find out where these people actually were in hopes of stopping them before they went after Sammy again. Of course it helped that they didn't have a lot of money on them which limited what they could do, so taking a plane was automatically out. A long bus ride wasn't exactly comfortable especially with raw memories attached, so he had managed to get information about the train schedule and found out that if they got to L.A. then they could take a train to Lawrence. Figuring they could deal with a couple of bus rides if it meant a train ride later, he had quickly gathered Sammy and off they went to board the first bus to L.A.

Now, he continued to watch his brother sleep, resting from the power drain of getting them out of a very tight spot. Taking a deep breath, Dean relaxed in knowing that there was no way that anyone knew where they were at the moment, and that in two days they'd be home where they belonged.

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"Sir, we were able to get a location of the boys. They were in Palo Alto with the Moore's."

"This has been confirmed?" The Chairman asked, not wanting to chase after shadows again.

"Yes sir, Dr. Moore called the Winchester house and didn't seem pleased about the unexpected visit."

Smiling, the Chairman nodded, "I imagine not. Dispatch a small group to pick up where they've gone. I want them found, but not harmed… yet."


	23. Chapter 23

AN: Hope everyone enjoys this one, don't forget to let me know!

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The bus rides being uneventful, had given Dean some time to think about the things that had been going on, giving him more than a small amount of anxiousness to get back home. It was bad enough that someone had been stalking them, but to actually go so far as to use kidnapping as a method to lure his little brother into danger was unforgivable. He wanted to be involved in the efforts to find these people, but also knew that his top priority was Sammy.

Glancing towards his brother, he knew that he was lucky to have the kid still with him. Each time that a new 'gift' was discovered, it seemed to take more and more out of Sammy until Dean wasn't sure there would be much left when the next one came around. Sensing the bus was slowing down, he reached over and gently woke his little brother, careful to make sure no one suspected that the little animal was anything but stuffed.

"Where are we Dean?" Sam asked, seeing that it was still dark outside, but not much else.

"We're here buddy. Now come on, we need to find out when the next train to Lawrence leaves, ok?" Dean asked, helping Sammy snuggle Puppy into his jacket before leading him off the last bus. Looking around, he knew that there would be plenty of people around and he hoped to use it to their advantage to stay off the authority's radar. After all, it wasn't common to see two kids in a train station without parents around.

Walking into the train station, Dean saw the big clock on the wall and suppressed a groan; this was not exactly what he wanted to do at 5am. Guiding Sammy to the ticket booth, he noticed only one teller on duty and he didn't seem to be the friendly type. Bolstering himself for possibly the performance of a lifetime, Dean confidently walked up to the desk and got the clerk's attention.

"Excuse me sir, I need to know when the next train to Kansas City, Mo. is leaving."

The man looked between Sam and Dean and shook his head, why did he always get the runaways? "Look son, whatever it is going on at home, it's not so bad that you need to go racing off in the night. Now how about you take the little guy and head on back to your folks?"

Dean knew this was going to happen and somehow he had failed to prepare his response. He wasn't sure how to handle the situation but he didn't need to worry because Sammy had already started talking.

"Actually sir, we're heading home! Mommy's going to make our favorite cookies when we get there!" Sam exclaimed, hoping that what he told the man hadn't been too much.

Smiling, Dean nodded and pulled Sammy closer. "Yes sir, we're heading back home, but our Dad sent us in for the ticket information while he tended to some other things. So, is it leaving soon?"

The man wasn't sure what to believe. As he looked at the two boys in front of him, he had to wonder what their story was. They both were too clean to have been out on their own for long, too calm for them to have been abused, which made him wonder if maybe he was just being a paranoid old man after all. Taking a closer look at the youngest he felt something that sent a chill down his spine, he'd seen looks like that before during WWII, the haunted look of someone who had faced too much alone. Turning back to the oldest boy he looked deep into his eyes before asking, "Do you take care of your brother boy?"

"Yessir, with my life!" Dean answered without hesitation. There was nothing he wouldn't do for his Sammy and he didn't care who knew it. Seeing the man nod though he had to wonder what was going on.

"Fine… fine… the train to Kansas City you said? Well son you're in luck, because we do have one that runs today, but not until 6:30 this evening. Now, if you and your brother can stay out of trouble that long, then I'm sure we can get you on it." Seeing Dean's confident nod, the man smiled slightly before keying in the tickets. After receiving the money and handing the boys their train passes, he leaned over the counter a bit. "There's a café towards the end of the terminal. It's a little out of the way, but my Margie makes the best pies and she's a sucker for a good story. Tell her Max sent you, and she'll make sure you're not disturbed until you're ready to board."

Stunned, both boys nodded before heading the direction Max had pointed. Seeing an exit, they quickly took Puppy out for a quick run around the grassy area, and then reluctantly put him back in Sammy's jacket to keep him from being spotted. As they walked through the terminal, they both noticed that the crowds were getting thicker and they had to wonder where everyone came from and where they were going in such a hurry. It didn't take long before they reached a small café tucked towards the end of the way. Seeing that there were only a few customers, Dean hesitated about taking his brother in there, but not feeling any unease from his brother led the way inside.

Margie was the typical grandma equipped with a handkerchief in her pocket, a dishrag in her hand and a bright smile on her face when she saw the two boys walk in by themselves. Not wanting to spook either one of them, she motioned for them to pick wherever they wanted to sit before grabbing two menus and water. She'd always taken to kids, and had seen her fair share of runaways, but somehow these two didn't seem to be running away… maybe more towards something or someone.

"Well hello! What can I get such handsome young men like you?" she asked, hoping to keep things light. She'd learned first hand how a misspoken word could cause more trouble than a fist.

Dean looked at the woman and found himself instantly liking her, looking towards his little brother he realized that he wasn't feeling that so much as Sammy was. Smiling, he turned back to Margie and answered, "Max told us you had the best pie. I was hoping to try it out myself. Oh, and could you add a couple of chocolate milks too?"

"Sure thing sweetie, but tell me… aren't you forgetting someone?" she asked as she smiled knowingly. Seeing the perplexed look on their faces, her smile widened. "The little pooch you have tucked away. I'd think he'd be a bit hungry too, don't you?"

Sam stared at the woman with wide eyes and an open mouth. 'How did she know?' he thought to himself, sure that they had Puppy well hidden.

"Now don't get me wrong, you two were doing fine in hiding him, but I have a couple of boys of my own and whew… the things they would try to pull. So, how about we make a deal… you boys stay in my diner until you're ready to go, and I'll let you keep that puppy in here as long as you agree to order something for him too. I don't abide by hurting animals, so if he's hungry, he eats. Deal?"

Having no idea what they were in for, Dean decided to take a leap of faith and nodded. "Deal!"

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John sat at the table once again staring into a cup of coffee as if it held all the answers. Bobby and Caleb had left shortly after the boys' last call, determined to find those responsible for Dean's kidnapping. As he sat there, he knew that he was going to have to make a hard core decision soon. Sure, he'd been reading about the things that are really out there, but the idea of actually going out on a hunt while leaving his family behind scared him out of his mind; not for him, but for Mary and the boys. So now he was sitting there in the semi-dark pondering what he should do; carry on as normal and protect his family on the home front, or actually get more hands on and risk something coming for Sammy while he was away.

He was still sitting in the same spot, staring at the same cup of coffee when Mary joined him over an hour later. She knew what he was thinking, it was no secret that he felt he could contribute more by going out in the field, but that thought made cold chills run up and down her spine. She'd seen his haunted gaze after he returned from war, and knew that he'd see that same look upon his face if he actually got into hunting the evil in the world. Taking the coffee mug out of her husband's hand, she looked at him tenderly as he finally faced her showing the torment he was under.

"John, sweetheart, you have so much to give in so many different ways. Do you really think that we wouldn't support you in whatever you decided?" she asked as she sat down in front of him, taking his hand into hers. "You've seen what war does, you know that casualties come in different forms, so you need to break it down to this; can you better protect us by being here all the time, or out there some of the time?"

Shaking his head, John stayed silent as he looked back at the table. As she waited, his thoughts played havoc inside his mind, different scenarios ran its course in a matter of moments until he finally confessed, "I have no idea Mary, none. What if I'm gone and something attacks? Or what if something starts to get close and I don't do anything causing someone else to get hurt? What am I supposed to do, leave you in order to save strangers, or leave the strangers to whatever hell they're being put through but stay and watch over my family?" He took a deep breath before he got up and walked to the mantle where a picture of Sammy holding Puppy sat. "We've seen first hand what can happen when true evil gets close. We know that our own little boy is seen as a freak just because of who he is and where he comes from. How can I protect the world when I can't even protect him?"

Mary started to laugh, a slight sound at first, but one that quickly echoed through the house and had tears rolling down her face. Seeing the absurd look on her husband's face, she knew that she had hurt him with her outburst, but the whole situation seemed too farfetched to deal with all at once. Regaining control, she walked up to him and grasped his arms. "John, no one said you had to save the world." She said gently, taking the picture from his hands. "Maybe just one Sammy at a time."


	24. Chapter 24

Dean was more than a little pleasantly surprised that Sammy had eaten not only his cheeseburger, but the French fries, and extra pickles with it as well; after all it wasn't every day his little brother pigged out. As he continued to watch, his couldn't help the smile that formed on his face. It hadn't been that long ago that they would practically beg for Sammy to take a bite.

"Hey kiddo, how's dinner?" Dean asked, hoping to keep a conversation going longer than two seconds. They had been in the diner all morning and the owner Margie would periodically come by and give them something else to eat or drink, claiming that 'no child in her care was going to starve, thank you very much.' At first, Dean was uncomfortable about the whole situation; who really treated other people like that any way? But after speaking with the older woman for awhile, and watching how Sammy had not only warmed up to her, but came right out and admitted how much he liked her, he started to accept the woman as a person to trust.

Sam looked over at his big brother and smiled. He was happy that it was almost time to go home, but he was even happier that Dean was with him no matter what came at them. Now though, as he finished his milkshake, he nodded. "It's great Dean! I'm so full I don't think I'll be able to eat for a week!"

Laughing, Dean wondered about that statement. It wasn't that he didn't think his little brother knew what he was talking about, because he knew that if anyone knew what not eating for week felt like, it was his brother. No, it was more the way Sammy had said it, completely and totally full of awe and wonder at the idea of not eating and still not being hungry. "Well, maybe not until tomorrow at least. Are you sure Puppy has had enough too? It might be awhile before we can sneak him something else."

Nodding, Sam made sure that his small dog had had plenty to eat and even a small bowl of water. He knew that they still had a couple of days before they got home, and he didn't want to risk Puppy just because they couldn't find place to sneak a snack to him.

Satisfied, Dean looked around for Margie and was momentarily worried when he didn't see her. She'd mentioned that she was heading home for awhile, but would make sure she was back before they left. Now though, they were about to go wait on the train and she wasn't in sight. 'Oh well,' he thought 'it's not like she was really our Grandma or anything.'

As the boys started to gather themselves to go towards the train platform, Margie rushed in carrying two small book bags that looked to be full with unknown items. Following close behind was her husband Max shaking his head as if wondering what his wife was going to do now.

"I'm so sorry that I'm late boys, but Mr. Grumpy here decided to take his sweet 'ol time in finding his shoes after his nap." Margie said as she gestured back towards her husband fondly. Handing out the two bags she smiled before continuing. "Now I know you two are going to on the road for awhile, so I gathered some things to make your journey a little more bearable. Now, I don't expect that you two have any idea where you should go now, so Max and I will walk with you to make sure you get on the right track."

Dean wondered what to think about the woman in front of him but was more interested in what his little brother thought. Looking over to Sammy, he noticed that something had his brother's attention, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Looking between Sammy and Margie, he stayed still in hopes of catching some sort of sign. However when he glanced to Max to see if maybe he held a clue, he missed Margie's wink towards Sammy as well as the flash of her eyes turning green.

"Well, if we're going to get these two on that train, we better get a move on. You know as well as I do that Mo runs a tight schedule." Max said with a sigh. He hated the idea of abandoning these two young boys to their own devices, but then again, he wasn't much older than Dean when he had his own grand adventure.

It didn't take long for the small group to make their way to platform that the boys needed, leaving the older couple sad that their time with the boys were coming to a close. Turning towards both boys, Margie gave them both a hug before smiling, "Don't worry boys, everything's going to be fine. You'll see. Now go on before I change my mind." She said with conviction while looking at both Dean and Sammy closely. Max stayed in the background as if keeping guard, but made sure to give both boys a nod of encouragement.

It didn't take long before Dean and Sammy were boarding the train, but when they looked out the window to find their new friends, they were surprised to find no one there.

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John sat at the table with the phone at his right ear while jotting down more notes on a spare note pad that he had just managed to find before the whole conversation started. He had actually been waiting on a call from Bobby about a spirit that needed banishing close by, but the call that came through instead was more of a welcome surprise. A contractor from Wyoming was in between jobs until the beginning of the year and had heard about his predicament with getting the shop built. It had taken several questions and over fifteen minutes for John to find out that the guy was a 'friend of a friend of a friend of Bobby Singer' giving him more than enough reason to trust the guy on the phone not to mess up what they had already so carefully laid in place for protection.

"So you're sure you can be here next week?" John asked, trying hard not to get too excited at this news, but finding it more that a little hard to dampen his enthusiasm.

"_Yes sir, me and my crew will be there the middle of next week. I'll make sure to send one of my guys ahead to get any and all permits as well as arrange for material delivery. All that I ask is that you let us do what we need to, and I can guarantee that we'll have your shop done before Christmas."_

There was a moment of silence as John thought about that. A finished shop by Christmas just seemed too good to be true. Smiling though, he couldn't wait for this Chesterfield guy and his men to show up on his doorstep. "That's fine. I'll make sure you have a check that you can take directly to my bank and cash when everything is said and done; no reason for your men to have to wait to be paid so close to the holidays." John said as he wrote down the figure quoted to him earlier. He knew that it was pricier than some of the other quotes, but this guy had already been warned about the things that had been occurring, and that seemed to have ticked the guy off instead of scaring him away; it was well worth the price.

"_Very good Mr. Winchester, we'll see you soon."_

With the conversation now at an end, John leaned back and let out a sigh of relief. If everything else would fall into place like that, then he wouldn't have much to worry about. Unfortunately, he knew that there were too many unknowns out there which worried him more about his boys. Wondering where they were, he could only pray that they were alright and would find a way to call soon.

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Sam knew he was dreaming, but he also knew that this was completely different from any other dream he had before. Looking around he saw the stars and planets and wondered where he was until he heard a voice behind him.

"Samuel, how good to see you again."

"Hi Hariel, I missed you!" Sam exclaimed as he rushed towards his grandmother. "Where are we?"

Laughing, Hariel smiled and looked around a moment before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter right now, does it? What does matter is the fact that you are here which tells me something very important. Samuel, you need to stop blocking yourself. If you are able to bring both of us here, then you are definitely ready to move to the next phase of your training, but you are holding back. Will you tell me why?"

Sighing, Sam sat down and sadly answered, "I don't want to be bad."

Smiling, Hariel nodded. "Yes, that would be a problem would it not? However, what makes you think that you would be?"

Shrugging his shoulders, Sam continued to look down until he noticed that he wasn't on solid ground but above the planets themselves. Startled, he gave Hariel a horrified look before attempting to calm himself again. "What if I'm really, really bad?" he sniffled, worried about what he'd do to his Mommy, Daddy and Dean.

"Samuel, being good or bad is a choice. Each decision that you make will either be good or bad, but it is a choice each and every time. You cannot just sit there and watch time go by allowing your abilities to grow unchecked, you must open yourself up to them. Otherwise others will be hurt."

Startled eyes turned to her but Sam was too worried to say anything. It wasn't until Hariel took his hand that he thought maybe he was starting to understand. The choice was always his; he might not like his choices, but he will always have one. Nodding, he stood again before asking, "Why were you Margie earlier?"

"Because I knew that you needed me, and I wanted to be there for you without making others nervous. Now, are you feeling better about yourself, or do I need to find you another home, a place that will help you embrace your full talents?"

"NO!" Sam exclaimed, knowing in his heart that he was in the best place he could ever be.

Hariel smiled slightly. She knew that there was no other place that Sam could benefit better from, and therefore smiled in agreement. She knew that any and all plans that may have been laid out for Samuel was ultimately his decision whether or not to grasp tightly. Before disappearing once again, she called out to him to allow himself to flow freely, then she was gone leaving Sam to wonder why people around him always seemed to leave at the most unexpected times.

Dean watched his little brother sleep and wondered what had him both agitated and awestruck. It took awhile, but Sammy finally woke and looked directly at him before he smiled and explained. "I saw Hariel, she says "Hello."

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Mary was more than a little nervous today. Her boys hadn't called the night before and the morning sun had found her pacing the length of the living room still in her nightgown and bathrobe while chewing on the one remaining cuticle of her right hand. She had never been a nervous person, and this new quirk just seemed to agitate her more, making her worries fly to the surface at an alarming rate. So engrossed in her living nightmare, she wasn't aware that she wasn't alone in the room until strong arms grabbed her around the waist and pulled her towards a very solid surface.

"They're fine Sweetheart; you just have to believe that we'd know if they weren't, ok?" John said softly in her ear. He knew that his wife hadn't slept all night, and that if she had any chance of taking care of some of the things that needed done before the boys got back home, then she'd need to go back to be soon. "Go to sleep Mary, I'll see if Caleb has heard anything, then maybe we both can find some peace with this whole situation."

Facing her husband, Mary couldn't believe that he was being so calm about everything, but then again she had a feeling that it was all just a front to keep her from worrying so much. _Yeah, great job of that._ Sighing, she nodded before squeezing his hand and walking towards their room, praying that her boys would make it home soon.

John watched as Mary wandered seemingly aimlessly towards their bedroom and wondered not for the first time what would happen if they lost either Dean or Sammy, or Heaven forbid… both. Not liking the image that was floating in his head, he shook it off and started preparations for breakfast knowing that Izzy would venture out soon as soon as he had the kettle on for her tea. He was going to miss having her around, but understood why she needed to head home again, while at the same time appreciating why she hadn't left already.

"Sent her back to bed I take it?" Izzy asked kindly as she slowly walked into the kitchen.

Nodding, John couldn't say anything else pertaining to what he could only speculate as his wife's worries finally surfacing all at once. Seeing that he didn't need to elaborate, he turned back to the task at hand; learning how to make chocolate chip pancakes. Something told him that they'd be needed soon.

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Dean couldn't get the earlier conversation out of his head. It was one thing for his little brother to dream odd occurrences, but for the kid to actually have traveled someplace with his grandmother no less was more than a little disturbing. Sighing, he looked at his cards again to see what he had and suddenly remembered that they weren't playing poker, but Go Fish. Seeing his little brother's expectant gaze on him, Dean knew that he needed to distract Sammy from whatever was going on in his head.

"Hey Buddy, how about we figure out what else are in our bags, ok?" Dean asked as he started to open his bag further. Peeking to the other seat he saw that Sammy was actually pulling items out of his bag that were both entertaining as well as educational. It was the small bag of treats though that got Puppy's tail wagging so much that Sammy had quickly covered the puppy with his jacket in the attempt to hide the fact that indeed his dog was a living breathing animal and not an inanimate toy.

Chuckling, Dean shook his head and started to devour the small bag of candy while watching his little brother look out the window wistfully. Sensing that Sammy was homesick, he decided not to tease him, instead settling for pulling the smaller boy closer to him. Thinking about what was in his bag made Dean more determined to be the best Guardian to his brother as possible. There might not be any paper or crayons in his bag, but the small stash of weapons as well as items to help his develop strategical skills was more than enough encouragement to make sure he kept up his training. Smiling, he watched as Sammy enjoyed being in the sun's rays as he watched the peaceful scenes outside the windows speed by.

Suddenly Dean bolted upright not believing what he just saw. He knew what it looked like he saw, but that was an impossibility wasn't it? They were at the station, right? How…? Realizing that that wasn't what was important, he let his mind follow the wonders that Sammy as experiencing at the moment and made a silent vow.

'I'll get you home safely little brother; I promise I'll get you home.'

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As Max and Margie stood by the tracks and watched the two boys speed past, their own thoughts were transformed until neither one could quite remember how things got so twisted in the first place. After the train passed safely across the bridge, Max looked at Margie before transforming himself into his true visual appearance.

"You know there was probably a more practical way to deal with this whole mess." Max said as he finished his metamorphosis. As he turned, he saw that Margie had done the same.

"Gabriel, do not tell me that you are getting scared in your old age." Hariel joked. She knew that the warrior before her wouldn't take kindly to her jab, but she couldn't bring herself to care at the moment.

Surprisingly, Gabriel smiled softly. "Hariel, you know as well as I do that once it is found out what you have done there will be dire consequences."

Sighing, Hariel had heard it all before since she had initially asked Michael for the favor of escorting her back to the earthly realm, but again she could not bring herself to really care. Her grandson was troubled about the rumors of him 'being turned' one day and she was determined to make sure that whichever path he choice was his alone to make. Smiling, she turned back to her friend before nodding. "Of course, but I can not turn my back on him – I will not."

Knowing that this was her only answer, Gabriel looked back to where the train had disappeared before turning back to his friend. "Let us pray then that your interference has not started us all on a road to ruin."

Hariel knew that his words had some truth to them, but she still could not seem to care. This was something that she had both anticipated and feared as the years continued to pass. She could only hope that her young Samuel would remember her words and follow the unspoken request. 'Be safe Samuel. Be safe and follow the light in all things you do.'


	25. Chapter 25

The night passed without incident on the train, leaving Dean feeling more than a little relieved since he had no idea what he would have done if someone had started to cause any problems. As he looked over he saw his little brother still sleeping curled up with Puppy nestled next to him as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Then again maybe it was pretty normal for Sammy to be thrust into a situation where you had to think fast and happy with less than ideal conditions. With that thought in mind, he was thankful that they weren't really in that position, that they were on their way home to their family who loved them both.

"Dean?" Sam asked quietly as he tried to wake up. "How much longer?"

Thinking about how long they had been moving, Dean decided not to lie. "We'll have to spend another night on the train Sammy, but after we wake up again then we can go home, ok?"

Sam thought about it a moment before he nodded, he knew that it would be a long day, but was happy to know that they'd be home soon. Feeling Puppy licking his hand, he knew that they needed to find a way for Puppy to go potty. Sighing, he looked over to Dean and hoped that he would have an idea of what to do.

Seeing Sammy's anxious look, it took Dean a moment to realize that the issue wasn't necessarily him but the dog they had smuggled on board. Grabbing their bags, Dean guided Sammy towards the lavatory and helped him hold the squirming puppy over the toilet bowl in hopes that the small canine wouldn't miss. It took a few moments before the puppy was done and Sammy felt it was safe to put him down so he could take care of his own business. Dean was definitely thankful that Sammy wasn't in diapers with as much as the kid had let go, making him note to keep a better eye on how much his brother drank today.

A small breakfast in the dining car brought a little more attention than either Winchester boy would have liked, giving them both the impression that others thought they had been abandoned in some horrible fashion and that someone needed to report them to the authorities immediately. Sammy was more than a little nervous at the stares they were getting, but Dean refused to be intimidated especially since they paid for their ticket and their parents knew where they were. As Dean watched over his little brother he suddenly got the feeling that they shouldn't be there anymore and that feeling was growing by the second.

"Sammy, I think its time we went someplace else." Dean said calmly, trying not to show his unease. Leave it to his little brother to be able to read between the lines. The panicked look on Sammy's face made him realize just how in tune they were with each other. "Don't worry Sammy, we'll go back to our seats close to that nice family and watch whoever comes in after us, ok?"

Nodding, Sam looked around and instantly saw who it was that was watching them, and it was someone he knew was there to get rid of him permanently. Sighing he nodded and reached into his bag to pet Puppy in hopes to calm his nerves. He had a feeling that he'd need to keep his mind clear if he was going to help Dean later.

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Lane Jackson watched the boys eat in casual fascination. He had been told that his involvement was to track the youngest one and when the time was right to either inform the others of their location or take the initiative and eliminate the threat to mankind. It normally wasn't something he took care of for the Realm, but when he was told of the young one's potential he felt honored to have the responsibility upon his shoulders.

He thought about his time as a Tracker for the Realm and wondered how long he would have survived on the streets without the organization's intervention. He never had an easy life and even after being welcomed into his new life he knew that he was unworthy of their kindness, which made him all the more determined not to fail in the mission that was entrusted to him. He had been asked by the Council of Elders themselves to carry out this request, which was rare in any circumstance since they usually would asked a more trusted member of their group to handle something so dire. He wasn't a fool though, he knew that they were hoping he would succeed, but if he failed then he was dispensable, giving him all the more determination to prove himself worthy of the task; or die in the attempt.

Looking at the two boys once again he still didn't understand how something so small could cause such utter chaos, but then again he wasn't the brightest bulb in the box either so instead of trying to think it through, he was happy to follow orders no matter what they were or how they were to be carried out. Seeing the boys walk out of the dining car, Lane quickly laid his money on the table and followed, hoping that the opportunity would present itself soon since patience was not one of his virtues… not that he had any of those to begin with.

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Dean felt Sammy's nervousness and knew that he was sensing the threat that the man was to them. It didn't make him feel any better to know that his brother trusted him wholeheartedly to protect him, he was just as fallible as anyone else and he knew it. Finally reaching their seats, he helped Sammy get comfortable before reaching into his backpack and pocketing one of the knives that was concealed inside an inner pocket. Risking only the quickest of glances to the man that followed them, Dean settled himself into the seat next to Sammy and pretended to be infatuated with rail travel in hopes they could have a little bit of time before a confrontation took place.

The movement next to him startled Dean slightly not so much as he was worried the strange man had snuck up on them, but that one of the attendants had stopped to check on them.

"If you'd like, we're showing movies in the Sightseer Lounge car. I can find out what they are so you and your brother can decide whether or not to investigate them." The attendant said softly, trying not to startle the two boys.

Not sure what he should do, Dean was surprised to hear Sammy speak up next to him that 'yes they would like to know what was showing, thank you.' Shocked didn't begin to describe what Dean was feeling, but then he understood that his little brother had something else in mind completely. Nodding, he leaned back and let Sammy have his moment.

Sam knew that the man wanted to hurt Dean and kill _him_, but that was just the beginning of what he was feeling. It scared him to think that he could actually get a glimpse of another person's intensions, and if it wasn't for the fact that Dean was in as much danger, then he'd probably be scared out of his mind. As it was though, he had an idea and he could only wonder if he could really do it. Hariel seemed to believe that he could control himself better than he thought, but he really had to wonder. Now he just hoped that he wouldn't have to find out, and if he did, that he wouldn't disappoint his family.

After the attendant came back to let Sam and Dean know what was playing, the boys decided that a movie sounded like fun and headed towards the other car knowing that they were being followed. Dean had insisted that his little brother say in front of him at all times, but something told him that this was a time that they needed to be side by side. It wasn't until Sammy slowed down and turned back that Dean started to truly wonder what his little brother was planning. Something told him it wasn't going to be as easy as tossing the guy off the side, but what else could happen to him in such an enclosed space? Suddenly Sammy's eyes flashed white before he turned back and looked at Dean in the eyes.

"I don't think he's going to bother us anymore, can we see the movie now?"

Dean looked back at where they last saw the man stand and knew that he wasn't imagining things; the guy had literally disappeared. Looking back at his little brother in awe he simply asked, "Do I want to know?"

"Probably not, but he's not dead."

Happy with that answer, Dean guided Sammy to the Sightseer's car where they spent the rest of the day watching silly movies that reminded both boys of their parents, and contemplating how much longer it would be until they were home.


	26. Chapter 26

AN: Since the interest in this series has waned, I'm going to take a break from it now that this one is complete. I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have writing it. As always my deepest thanks to Sammygirl1963 who has been a rock when I've needed one... Thanks so much!

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Sam was more than a little excited, and it took a lot of energy on his big brother's part to keep him from bouncing around the train. After spending all afternoon and most of the evening watching movies, they had made their way to the dining car and once again avoided the curious stares of the other passengers before returning to their seats and settling in for their last night traveling. Dean had already explained that they would get to Lawrence before dawn and they would need to either call their parents or find a cab to take them home. Now in all his excitement, Sam couldn't get to sleep and it was getting close to midnight. Feeling Puppy lick his hand, he looked down and smiled brightly.

"_We're almost there William!"_ Sam exclaimed through his thoughts, knowing that the small dog would hear him instantly.

"_Yes Sam, we're almost there, but you need your rest. What you did earlier would tire out most people with your talents."_ William replied.

Sam thought a moment before he sighed, _"You think I did something wrong don't you?"_ He heard the light laughter before he heard the confident answer.

"_No Sam, you did nothing wrong. That man was going to kill you and possibly Dean as well. You did very well and I'm very proud of you."_

Sighing, Sam thought about that and wondered just how proud his parents would be once they found out what he'd done. _"It's not over yet is it?"_

"_No, I'm afraid its not."_ William replied while moving closer to give the boy more comfort. He really wished he was human at the moment so he could pull the small boy into his arms and not let go.

"Sammy, you ok kiddo?" Dean asked, feeling the shift in his little brother almost immediately. He knew they both needed to sleep, but they were almost home and neither one was going to be able to sit still long enough for their body to catch up on their rest. Now though he was beginning to worry that this whole trip wasn't too much for Sammy.

Looking at his big brother, Sam wasn't sure what to say. "Do you think that Mommy and Daddy will be happy to see me?" he asked hesitantly.

Shocked, Dean looked at Sammy and was about to blurt out the first thing that popped into his head, 'Of course they'll be happy to see you!', but then he started to understand that it wasn't a superficial question, there was something deeper going on in his little brother's brain and he hoped he could figure it out quick. "You still worried about that guy earlier?" he asked casually, hoping to get a feel for what Sammy was really concerned about. Although he didn't get verbal confirmation, he did feel a shift in their connection, giving him all the information he needed. "Look Sammy, you did something to protect us… yes, US. I'm not so much of an idiot that I thought the guy was going to let me go scot free you know. He was going to hurt us, and you were able to get rid of him without hurting anyone else or yourself, so don't worry about that anymore. Mom and Dad are going to go nuts when we get home and they're not going to let either of us, especially you out of their sight for longer than it takes to go to the bathroom. They've never worried about what you can do, they've only worried about the people who've tried to hurt you. They love us both dude, ok?"

Hearing exactly what his heart needed to know, Sam smiled brightly and snuggled into Dean's chest and slowly fell asleep, knowing that when he woke up again he'd be home.

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Mary had spent all day and most of the night cleaning the whole house including rewashing each item of her boys' clothes, and every sheet and blanket on the beds and in the closets. John watched in horrific fascination after Izzy mentioned that if she didn't know better she would have sworn that Mary was 'nesting'. Now it was almost midnight and it looked as if his wife was starting to settle down and he couldn't explain his need to figure out what had caused his normally laid back wife to start acting like a madwoman with cleaning supplies. Before he had a chance to ask he was surprised to see her turn to him with a wide smile that made her eyes sparkle.

"They're almost home, I can feel it!" Mary exclaimed. "Don't look at me like that John Winchester, I'm not losing my mind, they're almost home and I want everything to be just right for when they get here."

Shaking his head, John wasn't sure what to say. He's always teased her about her 'kidar', but also knew that when it came to their children, she was never wrong. Knowing that about her, he knew that if she said Dean and Sammy were almost home, then he'd better get ready to meet his boys at the door because it wouldn't be long before they all were reunited once again.

"Ok Sweetheart, I believe you. How about we get a little sleep before they do though?" he asked, hoping to persuade her to take a small break from her work.

"Are you insane? Do you have any idea what's left to be done?" she asked incredulously as she motioned around the house, blatantly ignoring the amused look her husband was giving her. "I'm serious John…"

John smiled and steered Mary towards their room. "I know you are Mary, but you have to realize something… they're coming home to us, not the house. Just a few hours Sweetheart, then if you want you get back up and start all over again, ok?"

Not liking the idea, but finally seeing the merit of the suggestion, she nodded and yawned as her head hit her pillow. "Fine, you win… a couple of hours, but no more than…"

John covered Mary with the quilt and smiled warmly at her, knowing that there was no way he was going to wake her in a couple of hours. If he had anything to say about it, he wouldn't wake her at all… he'd let their boys do it.

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The Chairman had been dragged away from a warm soft bed to be informed that the Elders had not only sent in someone to deal with young Samuel, but the same someone had not called in the last two appointed times making several people a little nervous.

"Daniel, any word?"

"No sir, the Elders are waiting for your call."

Nodding, the older man ignored the coffee that had been placed before him and waited for the door to close completely before dialing the familiar number. It didn't take long before the connection was made.

"_Mr. Jackson is no longer with us."_

"You have confirmation?"

"_He is no longer within the field of vision."_

The implication sat heavy on both men and another moment passed before the conversation resumed leaving no doubt about the next course of action.

"_We can no longer wait; it has become apparent which way this situation has veered."_

"Of course. Has the decision been…"

"_Unanimous. We shall see about the others should unreasonable obstacles occur."_

The sound of silence seemed to echo through the room as the Chairman leaned back in his chair. He had hoped this day could have been avoided, but deep down knew that young Samuel Winchester was not one who would have swayed to their side without tremendous effort, and someone who needed that much coaxing to do the right thing would never be trustworthy. No, better to extinguish the threat now before more resources were wasted.

Knowing that he would not get any more sleep tonight, he watched the young assistant Daniel diligently prepare items for the impromptu meeting that would take place first thing that morning. Seeing that matters were in capable hands, he turned towards the windows and watched the night pass by silently.

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Never one to travel much, Dean could not figure out how people thought they would need so much luggage for one trip. He watched as the woman at the very front had a bag for her laptop, a purse, a small bag, and a large rolling suitcase, while a small family of four had two large suitcases and each one had an overstuffed backpack. Looking down at his and Sammy's bags, he wondered how they had made it with so few items when they ran to California, and even now the items in their packs were mainly for entertainment and basic necessities, not to mention the most important of all – M&M's in case of the munchies.

"Sammy, time to wake up." Dean said quietly, hoping that he wouldn't scare his little brother. Seeing Sammy stir, he continued to whisper and lightly shake the younger boy's shoulder until he saw a pair of dark eyes looking sleepily at him. "Hey sleepyhead, we're here!"

Hearing those words made Sam jump up and look out the window. Not sure what he expected to see he was a little disappointed when he didn't recognize anything.

Dean grabbed both packs and helped Sammy out into the aisle towards the nearest exit. "Come on Sammy, we'll get a taxi and surprise Mom and Dad, how does that sound?"

It didn't take long to find a taxi cab, but it did take a little bit to assure the driver that they had the money to pay the fare outside of town. Once that was taken care of, Dean and Sam sat uneasily in the backseat excited to be home and even more excited at the prospect of seeing their parents. It took a little while, but they finally turned into their gate as the sun started to chase away the night giving them a peaceful view of the property.

Giving the driver a sizeable tip with the fare, Dean was thankful to be back home with his little brother intact. Taking only a moment to look at the cottage, both Dean and Sam looked at each and smiled before racing towards the door only to be surprised when it opened suddenly and they both were grabbed into large arms.

"Oh my God, boys you're home!" John yelled as he dragged both sons inside where it was warm. "Get in here and warm up. Are you alright? Sammy how are you feeling?"

Smiling, both boys listened as their father talked and asked questions as he continuously checked their well being. Finally though after satisfied that his boys were relatively healthy, John led them to the kitchen table and surprised them with warm pancakes.

"Your mother was confident you two were close, so I thought I'd take a chance and have some ready for you just in case. Now, how about you two eat up."

Sam wasn't sure what to say, he wasn't aware that he was crying until his Daddy wiped the tears from his face. Looking up he tried to smile, but instead wrapped his arms around his Daddy's neck. "I missed you Daddy!"

John knew that he was on the verge of tears himself, but tried hard not to give into them. Smiling, he hugged his little boy back and thanked whoever was listening that his boys were home safe and sound. Glancing over to Dean he saw the same relief reflected in his eldest's eyes. Yes, he was definitely glad they were home.

Mary thought she heard something in the other room, but wasn't certain until she gathered up her robe and opened the bedroom door. It wasn't until her baby's voice penetrated her foggy brain that she realized what woke her.

"MOMMY!" Sam shrieked as he raced towards her and hugged her around the waist. "I missed you Mommy!"

"Sammy… Oh my God… Sammy, Dean… you're home!" she said in shock. Looking over to Dean she was amazed by the blatant happiness she saw there. Reaching over she gathered him into the hug as well and felt completely at home for once in such a long time.

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Sam was more than a little nervous, this was the first time that he'd been back to the pond since his accident there, and although he knew his family was close by, he was still wary about it. He had told them about Hariel visiting and, with Dean's help, about the man on the train and what he'd done to stop him. He had been worried that they would see him as some sort of horrible creature, but instead they held him and made sure that he understood that they loved him and always would, no matter what happened to make him have to defend himself or others.

Now though as he looked across the pond he wondered if he was really going to be able to do what he knew needed to be done. It was going to take a lot of concentration, but he had realized that the link the Seers had used on him could go the other way as well giving him access to the locations of the people directly connected to the threats to his family.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and let Puppy jump out of his arms. It took less time than he thought and when he opened his eyes again he saw a large group of people staring at him.

"YOU! I demand you send us back before…" An older man in dark robes yelled.

"Before what?" Sam asked curious. "You don't know where you are but you think that you can hurt me? I really don't understand."

"That is precisely why you are a threat to humanity! You think that you can do whatever you want with no consequence." Another figure towards the back called out.

Not listening, Sam looked around to the void that they occupied. It was obviously someplace in between time and space, but he had no idea how he knew that. Sensing their irritation, he turned his attention back to them.

"You think that I'm bad just because I can do things you can't. I have a choice in everything I do just like you, but you want me dead because you think you're right. If you would leave my family alone then I wouldn't have to do this." He said as he looked at each of them, happy that none of them had promised not to go after his family; he knew they would have been lying. "I didn't kill you or the man on the train, but according to you I would have. I'm not saying that I'm letting you go, but I can't kill you either so I have to make sure you don't hurt anyone else."

"Child, you don't have the right to decide who is right or wrong."

"Neither do you, but you do it everyday by making people work for you or die. I don't understand everything that I've seen, but I do know that I will never be as evil as what you have been to others. I don't know exactly what this place is, but I do know that you won't be hurt here. I have to go now."

Sam left with their yells echoing in his ears making his head hurt. When he blinked again he was back at the pond with the cold wind cutting through his coat. It didn't take long before he felt his family walking closer towards him. Turning he saw their worried looks and hurried to assure them.

"They're not going to bother us for awhile." He said sadly. Seeing their puzzled looks he shrugged. "I'm pretty sure they'll find a way out eventually, but right now they can't do anything."

"Sammy, are you…"

"I'm ok I think. Hariel wanted me to do what needed to be done and this was the only thing I could think of without being what they expected me to be." Sam sighed, hoping that he did the right thing.

Dean could feel the anxiety in his brother and was determined to make sure that it didn't escalate. "Sammy, we know you wouldn't hurt them, ok? We want to make sure that you're alright, that _you're_ not hurting."

Looking between his parents and his brother, Sam saw the sincerity in each of their eyes and knew that he didn't have anything to worry about; he was truly home.


End file.
